CHAPTER 5
"Sir? There's someone to see you." Lieutenant Hugh said. "Let them in, Lieutenant." Anders replied. Kilosomee entered followed by an orc. This made Anders suspicious. The orc stated, "I carry a message from the Great Drakemaster, himself." He cleared his throat and produced a piece of paper and read aloud, "I congratulate you on your victory against a small army of mine. I would like to offer a hand of friendship to you and a bargain: help me do a few deeds here and there across this planet, in exchange for your ticket home. I would most like for your assistance for I have been wronged by a lot of people, I've made an alliance with another group who've said they had become lost in this realm and is desperate to get home. Signed, The Great Drakemaster." The orc fell silent and awaited for a reply.
Anders and Kilosomee talked about it silently. "It seems as if he was the one who brought us here in the first place." Anders said. Kilosomee agreed, "It does seem like that, but remember that vid that was attached to the signal to that dragonelle?" Anders nodded; they had found a vid cam attached to the signal that was placed on the dragonelle and watched what was happening. They realized that she had run into one of the scouting parties gathering Intel. Then they found out that the Drakemaster had the furry dragons enlisted as an ally.
"So, do we join? Or refuse and find another way?" Anders asked. Kilosomee shook his head, "I doubt that the Drakemaster would provide as easily as his letter says, I'd rather be back in our realm now than later. Who knows what he may make us do once we're in his grasp… No, I'm against the offer." Kilosomee finished with a nod. Anders said, "I trust you as far as I can snipe, Kilosomee. But what will happen if we refuse? He may declare war. We may have the firepower, but for how long? Our weapons will be depleted before we might win. We've got no supplies, no backup, no nothing but us and our men…" Anders trailed off and thought for a minute, "I'm going against the offer as well." The two nodded and Kilosomee said at once, "We politely reject his offer."
The orc looked a little disappointed, but didn't say anything. Anders grabbed a vid Com and said, "Please deliver this to him so no one must make such a long journey to and fro." The orc accepted the com and was taught how to use it. After that, the orc went on his way to deliver the resulted message: "We politely decline, but we do ask what service are there since we've seen a recent murder and kidnap of a dragon inhabitance that we've set up camp in. There are four dead hatchlings, a nearly dead dragonelle and a furred drakka. There is a missing hatchling and a missing dragon from a vid cam we had planted on the dragonelle, we are two honorable races and do not smile upon killing such younglings and defenseless civilians. We do not know what they've done to you but there were two kidnapped, two nearly dead, one of which is one of yours, and the rest dead. Signed, Shipmaster Kilosomee and Commander "Anders" Andrew. P.S The Jackals, and Grunts send their compliments to the offering of food you have given."
The reply, which took about a month, was curt response from the com that was given and the orc who had been taught had said: "The Drakemaster asks why you decline such a chance, for only he knows a way to your home realm. He responds to your many questions by simply answering "Because it was a necessity between old rivalry and hatred between each other. However, it is not excusable to simply wipe a race off the planet, so I had the two you have listed kidnapped to regrow their race, then simply solve the old rivalry between me and the dragon. I would, however, like to surprise the leader of my ally into knowing that the one she mourns over is still alive. Please have the injured one heal as quickly and send word about when the injured can return and return her safely. However, she requests the dragonelle alive."
The orc waited when Anders looked at Kilosomee, who nodded, and then said, "I am truly sorry for what pain this will bring to the leader, but our best medics and doctors couldn't save the injured one, who I understand her name as Sheika, she was plagued by a horrible nightmare of some sort and due to the fright, her heart simply gave out from beating so fast. The dragonelle has also died, due to much unknown reasons. We can give the bodies at least, if it is okay with the Drakemaster and the leader." The orc bowed and disappeared from sight. After awhile, the face of the leader of the furred dragons appeared and demanded, "I want PROOF that Sheika and that bitch is dead!" Anders and Kilosomee bowed and beckoned forth a medic team showing a dead looking Sheika and the dragonelle. They saw tears brimming and flowing profusely from the leader's eyes and keened, "Oh, my dear Sheika! A one chance that you would've been mine again, snatched away by such a curse of nightmares…" She disappeared and they heard a loud mourning howl that made a medic jump.
The orc came and said, "It is agreed that the leader and her kith and kin come to see the dead. Though the first question is still unanswered." Anders replied, "It is because that yes, we are desperate to go home, but we are curious to see what deed that is required, as well as what bonding laws there will be for us and the Drakemaster, for there are always be rules that forbids us and encourages us to do things we might not want to happen. We are religious people, who do not worship anyone else but our god(s); anyone else is considered heresy and is executed for it. We are not an encouraging type to murder younglings, for adults, yes, we would. But never anyone younger. That includes females. For some of us, we've suffered losing our loved ones and hate those who relish on making the mated lose the ones they love." The orc nodded and again disappeared. Then he reappeared and said, "The leader shall arrive soon for the bodies."
The com went dead and the people sighed in relief, the ruse worked. They had administered a drug that would make anyone drop into a dead-like sleep that would make even the best physicist believe the person dead. Now the bait was taken, all they need to do is simply get the leader to surrender. They moved the two into an open space in the cave and started digging as hard as they could; sometimes using plasma grenades to make sniper holes so the subduing would be much easier. Everyone else practiced what they were supposed to do and be ready. Anders looked at Kilosomee and the two laughed at the fact that they got the chance to gain a new ally ripped off from the Drakemaster, then tear the knowledge out of him, then go back home. They quickly straightened up, got themselves ready, and waited. Chief came up and once asked, "Will it really work? We have no Intel on what the dragons can do except breath fire." Anders replied, "The best laid plans are made by those who expect the worst outcome. The worst will be that it fails, we all die and we get to see if the afterlife is like back home. Other than that, this should and will work."
A few hours later a report said that the dragons were coming, everyone tensed and got to their positions. The dragons landed and saw that the entrance was empty except for the two bodies and Kilosomee and Anders. The leader rushed forward and nuzzled Sheika, still drugged by the death pill. The rest moved up and took turns muttering goodbye and spitting on the dragonelle. The people hiding and exposed didn't budge, 'Just as planned.' Anders thought proudly. He gave the signal and said, "You are surrounded by over a thousand men and Sangheli. I suggest you would listen to what I say." The soldiers hidden in the holes popped out and aimed their sights down upon the dragons. The dragons started whimpering and crouched while the leader said with heavy venom, "What now? Did you kill them?" Anders shook his head, "No, but we administered a death drug that pulls the consumer into a death-state. Sheika is alive." This made the group look and gasp. The leader had tears appearing again, "Why the hell did you lie, then?"
"Because of your mistrust with that damn fool. He thinks he can order races to do whatever the hell he wants. The only thing he'll order around is he by the time we're done with him." Anders paused, "I'd rather us as new allies, one with no sides bargaining with each other, we rip the knowledge out of the Drakemaster, and then we simply go home. You want to go home as much as we do." A youngling keened at the thought of going home instead of murder after murder. The leader started crying more, "Yes! I would love to go home! I've been dreaming to go home ever since we arrived here."
"First things first, we gotta make this a deal. Besides, any trickery and we'll glass this planet." This made the dragons and humans look at Anders. The Covenant, however, thought that it would be a great idea seeing the treacherous die horribly as being glassed. The leader said, "Glassing? What do you mean?" Anders replied while looking over to Kilosomee, "By Glassing, we mean this." Kilosomee activated a projector showing a vid about the Covenant glassing a fortress planet called Reach. It was the best UNSC ship facility that was called undefeatable. But the name was proven wrong when the Covenant found the planet and promptly glassed it. The dragons started shaking in fear. Even the leader looked on horribly at the sight. Anders had the same feelings when he lost a planet and had to watch it be glassed and turned into a wasteland that was considered uninhabitable anymore. The leader shakily nodded, " F-Fine... You have your promise. Now when does Sheika awake?"
"Should be about… Now." They all looked at Sheika, who stirred and looked at the leader and cried "Mamma!" She tried to get up but Anders held her down saying, "Hold on little one, you've still got some healing to do. Move around too much and you might really die." Sheika nodded, but slowly crawled to the leader, who cried, "My dear Sheika! Come to Mamma!" It was rather the other way around. The reunion was heartfelt but Anders had other things to worry about, he signaled for the men to lower their weapons, though they didn't really need any signal for it. Even the hunters looked like they were smiling, if that was considered possible. Anders looked at Chief and Fred, they were just standing there. If they had any emotions, they didn't show it. Anders looked back to the matron and said, "Now, I'd like you to promise me one more thing, miss...?"
"Teklania." The matron responded.
"Teklania, I want you to promise you won't kill the dragonelle. I'll be sure to ask her the same thing when she awakens." Teklania nodded and looked at the slightly stirring dragonelle. Anders went up to the dragonelle and popped in a wake-up stim, which made the dragonelle stir a bit more. An eye cracked open and stared at Commander Anders. Anders straightened and said, "My name is Commander Anders. You are in your old home and surrounded by people who do not want to kill you. Do you understand me?" He heard a slight moan from her and asked, "What is your name?" The dragonelle's voice was raspy and slightly hard to understand, "Cynd-err."
"Before you look around, Cynder, promise me you will not do anything rash. It's for both your health and everyone in Alpha Base." Cynder nodded and slowly looked around. When her eye stopped at Teklania, the eye widened and she started trying to get further away from Teklania. Anders laid a hand and said, "Get some rest, you, too, have a lot of healing to do." He motioned to a medic and he injected a serum. Cynder's eye closed and her breathing became less labored and more at ease. He turned and barked, "Alright! Get some steel in you lovey-doveys and get ready! If that "Drakemaster" can know about us, he's probably sending men to kill us now that we've ripped an ally. Set the Longsword and Seraph fighters to patrol the sky and ground." He ordered an Elite nearby. Kilosomee started to com Ascendent Justice and Heart of Vengeance to send probes out and search where the Drakemaster was. Teklania padded forward and asked, "What do we do now?" Anders looked at her and replied, "We wait. If we can obliterate that army we got earlier, we can certainly take on Drakemaster." A com blinked in and heard Kilosomee's voice, "Anders, you'd better get up here... Drakemaster is angry at Tekliana's absence." Anders clicked his acknowledgement light and ran to where Kilosomee was and saw the orc they had talked to twice since their landings. The orc wasn't too happy to see either of them and said, "The Great Drakemaster questions about where the matron is and why she didn't come back by now." Anders frowned and replied, "I want to see the Drakemaster himself, not his pet messenger." The orc huffed and went away. Kilosomee looked at Anders and said, "You're sure this is a good idea? Ending discussions with threats and war?"
"We can glass the Drakemaster if things go wrong. But I want to see who I kill before we go after him." Kilosomee nodded and looked as the orc reappeared and responded, "The Drakemaster does not wish to reveal himself in fear of terrorizing you with his glory."
"His glory, my ass. Tell him to show himself or we'll tear the planet apart with him in it." The orc slightly blanched at the threat and now ran to tell the threat. It became 3 minutes before a large and purple dragon face appeared. His eyes an angry red and had 4 horns that pointed up and went opposite way from each other. He bellowed, "How dare you threaten me!" Anders yelled back, "Did you bring us here to make us serve you?" The Drakemaster cocked his head and looked down at Anders slyly, "I may have, I may have not. But the bigger question is," He leaned forward until an eye was glaring at them all, "is are you betraying my good will to let you alone and at peace?" Anders looked back with direct defiance and said, "Desperation overcomes peace at any day, fool. And I believe you brought us here to slave this planet. You may know a lot of things, but you don't know me!" The dragon tilted his head back and laughed in a thunderous voice. Anders took the opportunity and snapped his fingers at a nearby Lieutenant, "Get Kakashi and Hurru to trace this signal! On the double!" The Lieutenant saluted and sprinted away. Anders gathered up his previous posture just in time for the dragon to stop laughing and glare, "You believe I don't know you? You came from a distant realm after a great war between you and that dinosaur there," Kilosomee growled, but he was ignored, "You think you can order me around like that?" Anders retorted, "You think you can order me around?" This made the Drakemaster pause, "I have you know I can have Kilosomee desolate this planet just as easy as you killed the family of dragons here. I believe we have the bargaining chip and can do what we want. Now, tell us where the portals to our realms are?" Malefor looked and simply replied, "Never." Anders saw a motion from his peripheral and saw that the Lieutenant had done the job and was telling him that they had found the location. Anders smiled and then said as dangerously as he could, "Your days are now numbered." Anders pressed the com-link once and the Drakemaster vanished. Anders then said, "Thank you, Lieutenant. Get the Spartans and a strike team assembled. We're going hunting."
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