QUOR four

"This is Satray Dec reporting in. Section fein quarter drehm is cleared. Enemy forces have been eradicated."

"Check Satray Dec. Proceed to section qzhar quarter drehm."

"Check, check.'

Satray squadron executed a perfect turn, the shadow cast on the ground by the vistars was reminiscent of birds of prey. It had taken far too long to clear parts of the city than it should have. The ruins made it hard to identify certain areas and the Sadow were the best at camouflage. Charred bodies and piles of rubble made for excellent hiding places and made sensors almost un-usable.

"Caufay, I've got a rayar contact at partrum och."

Caufay, the pilot of Satray Dec and the leader of this patrol, looked at his rayar to confirm. He, too, had the blimp. A low flying, slow mover that kept blinking in and out.

"Looks small."

Caufay ignored Dwyers' comment and turned to intercept. He knew that any thing in the air could be a potential enemy ship. They were very clever in using whatever they could find to sneak under the net.

"Shuttle, carrier classification." Baily was Satray's expert on all things that flew. He could tell by the sound what a ship was and by it's echo how it was armed. "Could be tagged. Has limited arms and heavy shields."

Caufay had to agree. It was well known that all Alliance rescue ships were accounted for. Those that weren't were assumed destroyed or left grounded. Any of those the enemy could use and would use to get inside any protective area they'd set up.

"Satray Meich, take the squad to the next field. Baily you're with me."

The squad split, Satray dec and fein pairing off to intercept the shuttle.

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"Tretar!"

Duo struggled with the controls as an explosion rocked the shuttle from below. Looking at the rayar, Duo saw that the near by fuel depot had been destroyed by a dark wave of Sadow warriors. Given their position and the shuttle's, he knew they'd been spotted. The next jolt confirmed it as the Sadow turned their attack skyward.

"Hold on the something!" Duo shouted the order toward the rear of the shuttle hoping the Council had strapped themselves in as he began evasive maneuvers to avoid the weapons being trained on them. "We're almost there!"

From nowhere a vistar dived and took out most of the advancing Sadow legion. Duo fought to keep the shuttle out of the vistar's wake, but the shuttle still shook and lurched toward the ground.

"Tretar!" Duo cursed again as he tried to level out the shuttle as yet another vistar appeared and banked up around them to head toward the ground legion.

"Is everyone all right?"

Fermeldon was surprised that the young pilot was taking the time to see to their needs. Straightening in his seat, he murmured a quiet reassurance. "We are find, Protector. How long before we reach safety?"

Awed by the youth's piloting skills, he braced himself as the shuttle was brought under control again and banked sharply away from yet another barrage.

Duo tried to gauge their position but the rubble below made landmarks impossible to recognize.

"I've got to try to get in contact with those vistars." He didn't voice the fact that the need was to ensure that they were alerted to the fact that the shuttle had not been taken by the enemy.

Fermeldon looked out the port to see if he could tell where they were, but the rubble was almost unrecognizable until he spotted a circle of columns. "There!" He pointed out the pile where only the columns stood. "I recognize those as the columns that stand around the Jurdation building."

Duo barely recognized the name of the religious building as he pulled the shuttle around and away from the legion of Sadow who were now advancing up the steps.

"Delfin Polls is exactly two clicks to rit."

Duo pulled the controls to avoid the next wave of attack as the vistars veered toward the legion, firing upon them without hesitation. Banking rit, he followed the Councilmon's directions away from the battle and toward the safety of the eastern horizon.

"Transit shuttle waver five to identify." Caufay tapped the com as he maneuvered to take out yet another Sadow battery. He couldn't open fire on the shuttle without first establishing that it was indeed taken by the enemy. When he received no answer, he fired on the target below and cut to dog the craft in front of him. "Waver and identify or I will be forced to fire!"

". . . Ish. Shuttle Ish. . .Alliance Council. . . Delfin Polls. . ."

Static broke the signal as Caufay lined his fighter up with the tail of the small craft. The broken words shocked him. It was rumored that the Alliance Council was on Teirsa but no one had confirmed it. Now he just had to confirm the message. Flying ahead to run parallel with the shuttle, he took a look at her pilot. He was young, almost too young and as he fought to control the wavering ship Caufay saw the flash of gold next to him. Council colors!

"Alliance Council!"

Baily swung his vistar into a formation to trail behind the shuttle, to protect it's rear engines as he watched the craft dance. He was awed by the pilot's skill and ability to maneuver the bulky craft through two fields of Sadow cannons without taking a hit.

"Baily, we've got the Alliance Council on board that thing!" Caufay's words were spoken with reverence and speed as he dove to take out another cannon placement. "We've got to get some help out here!"

"Satray squadron this is Satray fein, converge on section drehm quarter fentic. Sadow cannon placements are in the area." Baily calmly sent the com as he fired on the ground, hoping to block their lock on the shuttle. "Leading shuttle Ish to Delfin Polls. Check."

Caufay took lead and gave careful instructions to the young pilot, thinking that the boy must be terrified being so unprepared for this battle. In his own mind, he could see the fear in the boy's eyes and knew that he was thankful for the vistar coverage he now had.

But Duo was anything but thankful. He cursed the vistars even though he knew they were trying to help, but the lead was slowing him down and cutting his maneuverability. It was too dangerous to keep the shuttle hemmed in between the two fighters, it made for too easy a target. Without thinking, Duo began to dodge out seeking open sky.

"It's a cut and run! Caufay look out!" Baily saw the shuttle's engines flare and alerted his wing. The pilot was good, tregahn good and knew that between the fighters he had little protection.

Caufay had only a mirac in which to dive and avoid the shuttle's wash. But the shuttle didn't fly straight over him, instead it banked right and then dove avoiding a hidden cannon none of them had seen. Caufay was hit. The vistar shook as it's wing was nicked by the barrage.

"Better let that guy lead." Caufay growled at Baily's soft reprimand. For a kid who'd probably never seen combat, he was good almost uncanny in his flight accuracy.

Caufay winged back to pair up with Baily as they followed the crippled shuttle through the heaviest of the cannon fire. Both vistar pilots had seen combat and knew that it was near impossible to clear a field without taking at least one hit, but the shuttle did. It was as if this pilot, this boy, knew exactly where the next shot was going to be fired before it was even let loose. If Caufay were a superstitious man he would almost swear that a Nahjet was one flying that thing.

"This is Satray dec requesting clearance for Shuttle Ish." Caufay shook off the imaginings as he made the com for the wounded craft. He didn't want them to get this far only to shot down within view of Delfin Polls. "Be advised the shuttle is carrying the amber."

"Check, Satray dec." the female controller paused before asking. "Did you say amber?"

Caufay smiled at the shock in the voice of the com controller. It was a great honor to hold the Council, but rare to hear the actual code used for them.

"Aye, control, I said amber."

Baily smiled as the com controller fell all over her words as she cleared them to land.

"By the Father." Fermeldon murmured the prayer as he looked down to see the damage the great station had incurred.

While some of the buildings still stood, they were barely recognizable. The center sphere had once been the controlling hub, it was now open. Gaping holes marked each hit it had sustained during the battle and the perfect symmetry it once had was now gone. Most of the outer buildings were rubble only and none were recognizable. The communications, facility housing, and way-stations were gone. The building that once housed the hospice facilities and pass check still stood but it was little more than a shadow of it's former glory.

Duo guided the shuttle to one of the few undamaged ways, lights indicating which one they had been cleared for. The vistars gave him a quick wing turn before heading back out to continue their mission to eradicate the Sadow from the city.

The shuttle landed with barely a thump and Duo began to power down all the systems even as several armed patrollers burst forth to surround the shuttle. Reassurances from the vistars not-with-standing, the surviving crew were obviously not taking any chances.

"I'd best go first." Duo released his belt and moved to the rear of the shuttle. "The rest of you follow when I give the all clear."

Fermeldon had followed the young protector to the door and took his place next to it to keep his fellow Councilmen from bolting. Duo opened the door and stepped out onto the mac.

"State you name, rank, and affiliation."

Duo kept a close eye on each patroller and the weapon he carried as he raised his hands to show he had no weapons. He knew they were nervous, he could feel it washing off them in waves but he had to make sure that none were quick to trigger before he brought the Council out.

"Duo Maxwell, cadet, Academy classification zotish meich." Duo waited before adding. "I have the Alliance Council on board seeking entrance into protection."

Fermeldon had listened to the name and was surprised at the identity of their new protector. He motioned for the others to remain silent as they too, heard the boy's given name. For them it explained so much. This boy, their new Protector, was one of the reasons they had come to Teirsa.

A balding man pushed his way through the patrollers. He wore a tattered Patrol Commander's uniform and the rank of a mere Partoo. His large frame blocked the guns of several patrollers as he grabbed at Duo's shoulders, his grip almost crushing.

"Did you say the Alliance Council!?"

Duo could only nod, but the man was already pushing him aside and leaning into the shuttle. "Praise be the Father!"

He turned to the gunners and motioned for them lower their weapons as Fermeldon stepped out, followed by the other hooded members.

"We had feared you were dead."

Fermeldon allowed the little man to touch his arm as he locked eyes with their young Protector. He allowed the youth to see the recognition in his eyes and saw the question pull a frown to the youth's face. Breaking the contact, Fermeldon focused his attention back to the nervous Patrol Commander who was bowing and cowing to them.

"We are so grateful that you live. No one could say one way or other as to whether you had cleared the city before the attack."

The patrollers opened a passage through them as the Patrol Commander began to lead the Council toward the building. He continued to fawn and bow as fast as he could, his words almost falling over themselves as he spoke.

"The Chief members of the city Council were sent to Nichrehn. It wasn't hit as badly as Calodonie. They were feared that you were lost to us." The Patrol Commander was becoming more and more like a grendah fly with every step and fawning word he took. It was as if he were trying to endear himself to the members for some reason. "We were going to send out a patrol as soon as the Sadow were eradicated from the city. We had them all ready to go. . ."

Fermeldon finally held up a hand to silence the little man. "We understand the reason. As you can see we are safe now. Is the communication service still functioning?"

The sweat that had formed on the balding man's head and lip now began to run. It was hard to tell whether nerves or heat was making the man so jumpy, but Duo was finding it harder and harder to look at him as he moved around. "The communications array wasn't affected like some of the other systems in the city. The main array was well out of weapons range."

Duo had caught the hesitation in the man's answer and was puzzled by it. "What other systems?"

Fermeldon was glad to hear the softly spoken question come from the boy. He had feared that once they had reached the safety of the building the boy would leave them or be pulled away, but the Naijor had chosen their protector well. It was rare that even in death one would chose a human to take over their duty. It could have been dehils before a worthy protector arrived to bring them to safety, but the Naijor had given his power to this youth; finding in all the destruction, the only light Teirsa had to offer. With his name spoken aloud, all of the Council finally understood why he had been chosen and were aware of the great service the Naijor had done for them.

But the Patrol Commander had no such knowledge and turned in surprise to eye the boy. He'd thought that the pilot would have gone about his duty and returned to the fight, but here he stood looking at him with eyes that reminded him of the dark waters of the Fjordic, changing from light to dark purple with each breath. Wiping the sweat from his face, he prepared to give the impertinent youth the dressing down he deserved for interrupting when the Councilmon's words stopped him.

"The cadet is our Protector."

Duo wondered again at the ceremony by which Fermeldon spoke the words and was surprised by the reverence the Patrol Commander gave them.

"Yes, Councilmon." The little man bowed before turning to offer Duo a begrudged degree of respect. "The other systems effected were the data systems of the Great Chapel Facility, the housing system, and Govern Facility records were all lost along with the trans rails."

Fermeldon nodded as he began to move toward the lighted passage of the building. "We really need to get to the communications station to alert the members of the Grace that we survived."

Duo followed behind the Council, his sense still on alert. While Delfin Polls was the haven from the city that did not mean that it was safe. The news that the Facility records had been lost, perhaps for good, was both good and bad news to him. He'd spent most of his life captive to those hallowed walls and now all record of his very existence may be gone. His father was dead, his mother had passed before that, and his sister's location was unknown though he knew she lived. He would probably never find her now that the city was in chaos and the records no more than a scrambled puzzle of information, but he would try.

Duo paused inside the building, his eyes having to readjust to the light. He was unprepared for the strength of the emotions that greeted him. The large inner room had been transformed into a make-shift refuge with triage and surgical centers set up in the stores and med stations placed along the walls. There were so many people that it was almost impossible to avoid being touched. So many who had lost so much that it was almost inconceivable the damage done to them.

The able walked aimlessly, eyes glazed by shock and muttering to themselves about inconsequential things. Duo had to pull his arms tight to his sides to avoid bumping into them as he walked, but it was the women who sat huddled with their children that drew his eyes. Tears still fell from some, while dirt tracks marked others as the fear of loss screamed from their souls as they hugged tighter to their young ones. It was impossible to ignore their need and to feel their terror as the hooded group passed before them.

Fermeldon had drawn his hood upon entering the building, keeping his face from the view of those around him, but he caught the protector's movement as he moved close and away from the crowd. He'd noticed how the boy withdrew from touch, keeping himself just out of the reach of those around him, but he could tell he was drawn to their pain; to their fear.

"We've taken over the upper decks where the equipment is still working. A vistar pilot had taken command there to coordinate the attack on the Sadow." The Patrol Commander ignored the cries of the injured and shut out the sight of those who had come to them for shelter.

"Then a Starfighter is in the area?" Fermeldon was not really surprised by this news.

"Starfighter?!" Duo's attention shifted back to the bulky Patrol Commander.

The Patrol Commander tamped down on his irritation at the young cadet's constant interference. Protector or not, he was becoming a nuisance.

Fermeldon could see the rise in the Patrol Commander and quickly pulled the man's attention back to him, thinking it best to halt any potential conflict quickly. "How far away is the Starfighter?"

The Patrol Commander summoned the lift and took a calming breath. It wouldn't be long before the boy was pulled from the Council and put back into active duty. He could wait. "One came to orbit three dials ago. It has since left. The pilot will have all the information we'll need."

The Patrol Commander stepped aside as the doors opened to allow the Council to enter first. He then stepped in before the pilot, programming in their destination.

Duo was the last to enter, his mind touching the crying child closest to the doors. The child became quiet and watery eyes the color of smoke locked with eyes now the color of glowing laster. Fermeldon watched the silent exchange. The child reached up to pat the tear stained face of the woman who held him before smiling at the Protector. As the doors closed, the Protector closed his eyes and when they re-opened they were no longer such a light shade of purple, but had become black as nilih and hard as shard.