Author's note: I just want to make a few quick thank you's to the readers who have been along for the ride. I would like to thank Fox, Tex, Assim, Leo, Section, and all the rest of the Clan Hunters in giving me the inspiration to write this story in the first place. Also I would like to thank Terror of Zanarkand and Bonnimom for their insightful reviews and general interest in my writing.
Also, please not that I changed, "High Jedi" to "High Summoner" in the last chapter for the sake of variety.
Finally, without further ado, my disclaimer.
I do not own anything in this novel except for John Call and the concept of DreamLand in and of itself. If I owned even a part of the DreamLand universe, I wouldn't be writing about it here.
Allied
Chapter 16: Reinforcements
The SEC shuttle docked back onto the Pride without incident and standing to greet them stood a very crisp Nikita. She instantly noticed the new addition of the tall man and the SeeD captive. All she had to do was look at the next ranking officer, who was Assim.
"Allied's stayed behind and ordered us to come back here," Assim explained, "This is a captive from a SeeD hunting party that has been searching for the Clan Hunters since we left Halo," Assim said as he shook the woman he was carrying by the back of her neck, "And this guy," Assim said point up to the huge head of Beyond, "Is a new recruit. Helped us get away from the SeeDs."
Then Larry noticed the activity going on inside of the hanger of the ship. There were a lot more men and women that were wondering around the Pride's expansive hanger. More transport ships were around too along with four small fighters and along one wall, about five tanks were squeezed in on one another. The Lt. Commander named Fate was looking at a bunch of new faces and talking with them, occasionally gesturing off to the tanks.
He wasn't the only person to have noticed the change, "What's going on?" Tex asked.
Nikita motioned for the entire crew to follow her, "I'll explain everything once we get somewhere less public," she noticed the captured SeeD and narrowed her eyes, "Who is this?" she asked.
"A captured SeeD," Assim said innocently.
Nikita frowned but her manner promised that they would have to explain this later. She called to two of the Clan Hunters members, Larry realized that one was Rouge, the scout sniper that had been on base since the beginning, and the other was a dark haired man who Nikita addressed as Starwolf.
Then Nikita lead the way past the new recruits and up a lift into the command room where the two other members of High Command sat. Standing next to them was a broad shouldered man who had black body armor and weapons vest strapped over his barrel like chest. His hair was red and he spoke with a force of command that was only emphasized in his strong Scottish accent. He was holding a weapon that Larry knew to be the MA5B Assault Rifle used in the Halo Universe.
"Colonel Gregory, this is our last away team that was on Nar Shaddaa. We are about to debrief them."
The Colonel set down a heavy black helmet on the corner of the High Command's table, "Well that do be good news. The sooner we do be away from this cess-pit, the better!"
Gregory sat down on a fourth chair behind the High Command table, which startled the remaining members of Allied's team.
"As ye can see, I do be a member of the Clan Hunter's High Command, part of the condition of my joining the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers clan to this Clan," Gregory said to their shocked faces.
"While you were out," Nikita said taking a seat on the other side of the table from Gregory, "There have been some changes."
"And there will be more to come," James said as he entered the room from behind the returned team.
Bobby entered behind him and the full table of four members of the High Command stood facing the remaining members of Allied's patrol.
"First, begin by telling us your report on what happened when you made contact with Vogga the Hutt and explain why Allied and Outlaw are both missing," Bobby ordered as he shuffled into his seat, a bit taller then the rest of the High Command.
After a lengthy explanation with a few occasional comments given in by Tex and the tall Beyond who stood even taller then Bobby, Assim filled in the High Command on the new developments on the Sumggler's Moon.
"That makes no sense," Nikita said, "Who was after him?"
The squad exchanged glances, "We don't know, ma'am," Assim answered.
The big man that was a newcomer to the High Command stroked his bare chin, "Do ya think that he might ha' lost his nerve?"
James glanced sideways at the new member, "I doubt it, Gregory. Allied was one of our best commanders, which is why we agreed that he would be in charge of this operation."
Gregory nodded accepting that," If ya say so, James, if ya say so."
"Can you make any sense out of it?
Nikita shook her head so that the golden hair waved around her, "I don't know, but I don't think Allied had lost his head. When I saw that he wasn't here I tried to get someone in contact him, but we've had no luck so far."
Section came forward just then, "Ma'am, if I can, I think I have an explanation."
Nikita looked at Section and said, "Well if you have one, then give it."
Section nodded before saying, "As you know DreamLand is nothing more then a highly advanced computer. Allied claimed that he helped make DreamLand, and if that is true, then he must have some idea about some of the nuts and bolts of the programming for this world.
"What he told us to do may be part of a fail-safe program designed to override an administrator should that situation arise. No such program has ever been reported to exist though, but that does not mean that it doesn't.
"Anyway, what I mean is that if we do gather all of these programs that act as Ta'veren together under the control of our single Ta'everen, then we might find ourselves in the middle of a programming storm that unlocks major components of the DreamLand servers, making whoever's in control of it like an administrator."
Bobby frowned, "Why would anyone ever put that into their system? It's just asking for someone to take over DreamLand."
Section considered, "It's not that easy," she said, "By taking these programs out of their elements the balance that is maintained in those worlds is thrown off. For example if we took Luke Skywalker out of this galaxy," she motioned with her hands around the gilded hallways indicating the galaxy around them, "Then it's safe to say that the outcomes that we all know about would change. The same is true of all of those other people that Allied mentioned, so the balance of DreamLand would be thrown off in favor of the darker and more evil programs that reside here."
It took a few seconds for everyone to have that sink in, "So what you're saying is that even if we did manage to collect all of these Ta'veren, the entire DreamLand universe would become extremely dangerous?" Larry said slowly.
Section nodded, "But I don't know if that is accurate. Maybe if we gather in some of these extra Ta'veren, then we will be able to actually find a better answer."
Fox said, "That's all very nice, but I'd really like ta know what's going on with all of these new guys hanging around our ship."
Nikita nodded, "Very well. James? Why don't you explain it since it was you who discovered ODST."
James nodded, "If you recall, I went down with Fury to recruit new members for the Clan Hunters. While recruiting new members, I ran into the leader of a clan named ODST, or Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. That's a reference to Halo, by the way.
"They had heard that we were the clan that had possession of the Index, and since they enjoyed adventure more then sitting around Nar Shaddaa trying to catch petty criminals, they asked if they could join us. There were several conditions of course, but our funds, our flags, and our forces have merged together," James explained.
"Aye," Gregory nodded, "And we do be one of the most well trained clans in DreamLand. Those members who have na' reported in will be told about the new arrangement."
"How many people were in the ODSTs? And what equipment did you have?" Tex asked.
"We did ha' about two hundred clan members, at last count. We have all of the same equipment and matchin' uniforms. We also ha' a ship that was named the Pillar of Spring, and several armor units," Gregory said as he rolled his eyes back into head clearly thinking.
"And I recruited an additional fifty-three newcomers to the World of Dreams," James said quickly as though not to be outdone by the Scotsman, "It seems that the devices are selling even faster now. So many people were on Nar Shaddaa as it was."
"Which reminds me," Nikita said, "The ODSTs have had a standard for their uniforms and equipment. Sort of a tribute to Halo, and I wanted to let you know that we have our own uniforms now, they're on your bunks."
She stood up, "And now, if you'll excuse us, we have things we need to talk about concerning these new developments. Beyond, welcome to the Clan Hunters. I'm afraid we'll need to make a uniform just for you."
Larry stepped forward suddenly and slammed his open palm down on the table, "What do you mean you have important things to discuss? What about Allied? Shouldn't we be sending someone to go look for him?"
Nikita regarded him calmly and James' face darkened, but it was Gregory who spoke, "Lad, I know that you do be missing your comrade, but if we could na' reach him then he do be dead, with his account deleted."
Nikita nodded, "Yes, and that's one of the things we need to talk about."
"Then shouldn't we be looking for his killers?" Larry asked harshly, "Every moment we wait the further away they get!"
"And just what should we do if we were to catch them?" Nikita asked coldly, "Allied said that whoever was after him would be stopped at what? Seven Ta'veren? Plus yourself. Just what is a pair of medium-class cruisers and a medium sized clan supposed to do against a power like that?"
Larry's mouth worked, and he sighed, "Maybe we'll find Allied under another account, right? Then we'll be able to ask him what he meant more."
Nikita nodded, "That's possible."
James scowled, "I really doubt that," he said flatly, "This universe is too large to find a single person."
Section spoke up again, "So we even the odds. We make for these seven Ta'veren and try and find him near them. That's where he'll be going, right?"
Gregory nodded agreement, and so did Bobby, "That could work…"
Nikita nodded curtly, "Very good, now you are all dismissed. We will reach a decision on whether or not to pursue this course of action."
Larry opened his mouth, but decided to not say anything after the look he got from all of the High Command members. Turning around, Larry stalked out of the room after the rest of the team.
The shadows around the Pride were familiar to her now. She slipped past two of the new arrivals as they made their way down the hallways toward the Pride's mess hall.
Waiting for her charge to come out, she remembered how she had nearly been discovered while traveling on the cramped SEC shuttle, having to slip past the door guards at the Meltdown café, and how she had slit the SeeD's throat that had tried to kill her charge.
Coming back to the present, she watched as the door to the room that the High Command used slide open and saw Larry come stomping out of the room.
"Herrod!" a woman who wore a sword called after him. He slowed and spun around to face her.
"Yes?" he asked testily.
"You shouldn't go around shooting your mouth off like that. It's unbecoming of a Jedi," the woman said.
Larry scowled down at her, "I'm not really a Jedi, you know? I just happen to have the attributes of a Force user, not really that of a Jedi."
The woman tossed her head, "That's not my point. Something is funny about this whole thing. It doesn't make any sense! We need you to keep your head, or else everything will fall apart. Do you understand me?"
Larry frowned for a moment, but he nodded slowly.
"Good," the woman said, "Then I trust I won't have to correct you in the future?"
Before Larry could reply, she took off, striding down the corridor in the direction of her room.
Staring after her, Larry threw up his hands.
"What was that all about?" Fox asked, his drawl sounding interested.
Larry shrugged, "I don't know. Can you explain women?"
Fox laughed, "Hey, did I ever tell ya' that I have two girlfriends?"
Larry looked up interested, "No, but go on…"
The two moved down the corridor after the woman and the shadowy figure rolled her eyes, Men! She thought, always thinking about one thing…
Careful that no one was around in either the hallway or coming out of the doors, she slipped down the corridor after them.
Beyond shook his head in amusement at the way his new allies argued amongst themselves. He was also thankful that the Goa'uld had a mind to put vaulted ceilings in all of their ships. The Pride's ceilings did not force him to stoop like they usually did.
He walked down the hallways using his staff as a walking stick, and it made a hallow clang with each step. Weary now of his travels, he decided to find his own cabin. Knowing that it was doubtful that he had been supplied with one so quickly, he moved with sure steps in the direction of the crew's quarters.
Members of the Clan Hunters moved with purpose around Beyond, some gawking at his height, while others only gave the slight widening of their eyes before moving past him. He reached a lift to the lower decks of the Pride just as the doors were beginning to close. Reaching his hand out, he stopped the doors from closing and strode in.
All around him were men and women that were clearly coming off duty. Some looked tired while others were alert enough to realize that he was a newcomer.
One of them, a man in a white lab coat, asked, "Do you know where you are going?"
"To the crew's quarters, I need some sleep."
"Do you have a bunk?" the man asked as the lift's doors closed and it began to descend with a loud hum.
Beyond shrugged his shoulders, a gesture that the man did not see because it was so high above his head. Finally after a few moments of silence, Beyond said, "Not that I know of."
"Alright, I'll see that you get setup somewhere then."
Nodding his gratitude he asked, "What is your name?"
Smiling, the white-coated man said, "My name is the Doc. I run the infirmary here onboard the Pride. If you need anything of a medical nature, please let me know."
Beyond mused softly to himself that he did need something of a medical nature, but he doubted that this man had a cure for what he had.
Finally making his way into an open barracks that was stacked with cots all over the floor, Beyond noticed that half the bunks were full of motionless bodies. Their owners having left DreamLand for now.
Sinking down on to the cot that the Doc had assigned him, he set his staff next to the bed and pulled out a silvery flask. Drinking deeply, he carefully placed the lid back on the flask's head and began to doze off.
The dreams that Beyond had were all too familiar to him now, and he watched the scenes unfold with no more of the terror and nausea that had woken him years before.
She spoke softly so that only he could hear her. The other one, the Icemage, was watching near the entrance of the hanger for signs of danger, but he was casting an eye over his shoulder every few seconds.
"We can help you with the best doctors this world has to offer. We can offer you so much…if only you would join us," she was saying.
Leaning on his staff, he peered down at her a look of absolute indifference in his eyes, "I doubt that you can offer me anything. You cannot help me, because you cannot help yourself. There must be a way out of this world, and I intend to find it."
"What if you fail? How long can you keep up this search before it overcomes you? Do you really think that anyone else will care or be able to understand you? Why not be with the people who you knew and who have been through the same thing as you?"
Sighing, he straightened and shifted his weight to the heels of his feet.
"I am beyond hope. I can only walk my own path. That's something I'm sure you must be able to realize by now."
She looked up at him and into his eyes, "I didn't need to read your mind to figure that out," she said grudgingly, "But at least let us help you on your way. I have a ship and enough gold to see you around this universe and back safely, and it is yours. The least I can do for one of us."
He nodded, "Thank You…"
Beyond sat upright in the darkened room. Not the bedroom that most Users in DreamLand usually woke up to, but the same room he had fallen asleep in, on the Pride of Clan Hunters. Speaking to the dark and silent room, Beyond said, "I will settle my debts, and then I will find a way out of this world. That has never changed."
Content, he rolled over and fell back asleep.
The man who had once called himself Ownage stood on the cliffs of Shayol Ghul, examining the blade that had been given to him as a sign of the Great Lord's pleasure. He knew that once he had been Ownage, and before that, something else. But he had a new name now: Wicked.
He swung the sword in his hands a few times experimentally and smiled. The black colored blade was enough to make the Trollocks that were assembled in front of him stamp hooves, screech through an eagle beak, or growl from a wolf's inhuman face. Before coming to this land, he had never heard of a Trollock or any of the other wonderful creations that had been made by Aginor. Trollocks were inhuman creatures that spoke only with a harsh rasping language and wore inky black armor. The variety in Trollocks amazed Wicked, as they all were unique. There were similarities; however, as they all had either human like legs, or ram's hooves in place of feet. Their faces varied too, since some had the sharp beak of an eagle coming out of a human face, while others had the face of a wolf. Others still had ram's horns coming out of the top of their heads.
But they all had one thing in common: a great lust to kill.
Below the slopes of Shayol Ghul stood well over ten thousand trollocks, and they were given into his care by the Great Lord to lead across DreamLand and causing destruction and chaos on a mass scale.
Smiling in a snarl, he got up into the saddle of a horse that had once belonged to a myrddraal and booted the midnight black steed at a trot down into the valley where a large ring stood in front of a stream. In front of it sat the Stargate's control panel.
Turning to the ten myddraal that sat on their own jet black steeds, he did not feel the fear that their eyeless gaze usually gave to anyone else, "Are they ready?" he asked in a horse and strained voice.
"Yes, lord," the ten voices of the lurks hissed all at once growled.
Wicked put a hand into his beard, feeling the hair on his face as though he were considering what to do next, "Then we will carry out the Great Lord's commands."
Turning to the Stargate's controls, he began to punch in an address.
Larry pulled out his PDA to check how much time he had left before he would be manually ejected from DreamLand. His timer read three hours, twenty minutes and he relaxed slightly.
Debating between sticking around and waiting to hear what High Command's verdict would be and leaving DreamLand, he turned to Larry.
"So they never found out?" Larry asked in some awe.
"No. Not 'till one got a hold a' my email password, that is. Then the cat was really out of the bag," Fox said as he leaned back on his cot checking out his new uniform.
The Clan Hunter's uniform was a typical color of forest green that was cut so that one would wear a tee-shirt underneath the jacket, which had all of the rank insignias and other decorations pinned on it. The pants were the same shade and had a pair of cargo pockets on the thighs. At the end of each bunk sat a pair of brand new identical hiking boots which completed the uniform.
"Forest green huh?" Larry said picking his up.
"I reckon' it's to blend into an environment more naturally," Fox said.
Then the speakers inside the cabin hummed to life, "Attention Attention, this is an Announcement from High Command. We are setting course for Hyrule based on information gathered while on Nar Shaddaa. If you wish to know more, please check the message that has been sent to all Clan Hunters members in their PDAs. That is all."
Larry and Fox exchanged glances, and both pulled out their PDAs and opened the message section. Inside was a more detailed explanation, stating that High Command decided to travel to Hyrule based on a council decision to pursue intelligence that had been given by the late Rear Admiral Allied. It also stated that Ambassador Assim was being transferred to the Pillar of Spring to serve as the spokes person for High Command on that ship with the newly incorporated ODST part of the clan.
Larry would miss Assim, but he doubted that this would be the last time he saw him.
Surprisingly, in another message that had a list of promotions Larry had been put in charge of his own squad. This one consisted of Fox, Tex, the newcomer Beyond, the slicer Section, and two members of the ODSTs that neither Fox or Larry had met. One was named Leopard and the other was named Red.
Hoping very much that Leopard was not, in fact a Leopard, Larry objected to him being placed in command over Tex because she outranked him as a Lt. Commander. This objection was silenced though when they discovered that Tex had resigned her commission in order to be an enlisted soldier.
"I never liked leading, but I enjoyed doing my job as a warrior and as a part of a team," was all she said when Larry tracked her down to ask her about the change in rank, "Besides, you're Ta'veren. It's more interesting this way."
Amazed, Larry decided that he would have to look up the definition of a Ta'veren.
