Herald of Light: Oooookkkkaaaayyyy...After seeing a hugh drop in the rate of hits, I've decided to bring the story back down to T, and go through and censor the nice little conversation Forest has with the World Leaders. But when I do post it, if anyone wants the uncensord version, I could email it to them if the wanted, or post it separately...not quite sure yet what to do on that.

I have also been working on the battle that will be coming in about chapter 12 or 13. But when I do any battle scene it takes me a little longer to write, because I try to visualize it and do what the 'real' person would do in that position. But I am starting tonight, and hopefully will have 12 done within a week and 13 done not that long after (I usually just write the whole battle out in one sitting, that way, it's done). I may have a chapter or two after that, tying up the loose ends, maybe a wedding chapter, though I don't think I could do the honeymoon without raising the rating again... but that pretty much sums up how much there is left to this story.

Hope you enjoy!

Two Days Later

The last 48 hours had been hell. The attack had occurred while the new shields were down, but thankfully the hull plating had been polarized ever since entering the system. Most of the damage was to communications and Hoshi was well on her way to having that taken care of. Archer hadn't been to bed in what seemed like ages. In fact it had been nearly 72 hours since he had last laid down to rest.

The other two vessels had been sent to their respective homeworlds. Evidently the vampire they now had confined in the Decontamination Cell in Sick Bay had been 'persuaded' to talk by Phlox and Malcolm. Archer didn't care what they had done, because what they found out was too important for him to care.

His home was on the menu.

Earth was to be the first planet that these people would consume. It seemed that their entire civilization was like him, vampires. The other planets in the system had had carbon-based life-forms, but all of them had evolved beyond their likes. They had been cloning the last of these species for the last hundred years, with this supply keeping only a small portion of their people alive as they tried to find a new supply of food. They way he put it, it was like they were starving, and Archer almost felt sorry.

Almost.

Once Earth was overtaken, her colonies would also be targeted. The Andorians would be taken next. It seems that someone from the Temporal Cold War had also visited them, and provided them with the directions to both Earth and Andoria Prime, though he wasn't able to provide how precise that intelligence was.

If there was temporal contamination, then these people should have no right to exist, right? Admiral Forest had told him to do anything in order to get the job done. Did that mean he should try to destroy? Commit genocide? Or would it be setting nature's balance straight?

There was an armada following them. They were only capable of Warp 5, but they wouldn't have been detected unless Archer hadn't ordered that the quantum beacons still attached to the grappler activated. It was a primitive cloak, according to T'Pol, but still enough to hide the most important information from them, their weapons capabilities.

Earth had been building defense forces since the Xindi were trying to invade. So far, there were three squadrons of five man fighters. They really were nothing more than a standard impulse engine, three phaser turrets and at best (Archer prayed) a basic hull-plating system. There weren't even transporters on board them, and they were designed only with enough fuel and provisions to last five men three days. Thankfully there was also a carrier for them, though he wasn't even supposed to know about that, since it was Admiral Forest's pet project.

There were also several defense platforms, along with the newly remodeled Verteron Array on Mars. Although it was supposed to redirect comets, when the Terra Prime terrorist group had taken it over and used it on Enterprise, its use as a weapon had become clear. It would not have that many shots, but if they could warn them….it might save them all.

"Captain. You need to look at this." Malcolm called from his console. Archer looked up from his thoughts, he moved over to his Armory officer's console to get a better look as he explained. "Those ships haven't moved captain."

Archer looked up at this. "What do you mean 'they haven't moved'? Were moving at Warp six, their moving at Warp five, there is a discrepancy in our favor there. They should almost be out of our sensor range by now."

"That's the thing sir, they aren't. In fact, they are keeping up with us. They are exactly 5 light years away. There's something else." Malcolm punched up a better view of three of the ships. "This is only a small portion of the fleet...notice anything?"

"I don't notice anything, what am I missing? What weakness have you found?"

"None sir, look down at the time index though."

Archer took a second to process what had just been revealed to him. At best, they could have a hope of still getting to Earth in time. At worst…..

"Arm the forward phase disruptors. Fire at random on my mark. Ensign Mayweather, take us out of warp."

Malcolm kept his eyes glued to the sensor screen on his console as they dropped out of warp, if he was wrong, then they were going to know it soon.

"Raise shields. Any change Malcolm?"

"No sir, they're static."

"Good. FIRE!"

From underneath the saucer, the two modified phase cannon pods dropped out of their bays and locked onto their target. A second later there was a blast of green light as the phase disruptors were fired. And impacted ceased ahead of them, a kilometer off their bow.

The result was amazing.

The space around them fizzled, and then went out of existence.

"What the hell?"

Ahead of them was a giant hole into space, but all around him was a caveronous white room, and behind him were the other two ships.

"Captain. Shran would like to know what's going on?"

"Tell him I don't know, and I don't want to find out. Take us out through that hole Ensign."

"Aye sir."

"But that would be against my orders." She appeared on the bridge, flickering into existence. "Wouldn't it, my slave?"

"Yes, Master." Archer, along with the bridge crew, minus T'Pol who was still recovering from her hormones, said in unison.

The Vampress Alucardia moved forward. She could barely hold back her desire to feed. Her people were starving, and she was chief among them. Now to be in the presence of so much blood, and not even trying a little…

"You," she pointed. "come here so I may feed."

"Take me so you may be strong my Queen."