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Truth or Dare

Chapter 12: Paradox

"Come guest, you must rest and wash before tonight," the female dragoness said over her shoulder as she ascended the steps in front of her.

Looking from the dragoness back to Deamos Katlin saw him spitting off to the side and wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, a look of disgust clearly etched across his features. For reasons unknown to her Katlin felt some small measure of relief at seeing the reaction from Deamos.

Regaining his composure Deamos forced himself to take on his more blank expression and followed up after the dragoness. Following two steps behind him was Commander Ross who had a small smile on her face. Katlin saw her say something to Deamos that made the dragon look back and shoot the tigress a withering glare had it been on anyone else, Commander Ross merely chuckled.

Taking several steps herself Katlin tried to keep pace with Deamos and Commander Ross but soon found that the planets increased gravity and her not being used to it quickly killed that idea after only seven steps. Moving much slower Katlin found that even at the slower pace it still felt like she had sixty pound weights tied to each foot and that she had five gallon jugs of water in each hand, not to mention the eighty pound rock that somehow was magically sitting on her back. After what felt like an eternity she reached the top of the stone steps only to be greeted by two more flights of steps that led to the main entrance of the building, each flight seeming to go one hundred yards. Blinking back sweat or tears, she could not tell which, Katlin saw that Deamos and Commander Ross where already at the top looking back. Again she could tell the two were speaking and by the body language it was rather heated in nature as Deamos was pointedly jabbing a finger in the Commanders chest. Katlin saw Commander Ross say something and she caught a few syllables but no words to which she did hear Deamos reply with 'Dem fem drag neitch siela!' while throwing his arms up in the air.

Looking away from the two Katlin put her focus back on the stone steps she had to climb up, with an exhausted groan she continued her trek up the stairs, keeping her mind on not tripping as she took one labored step at a time. As Katlin continued to climb she could hear the other crew of the Revalon behind her some had the energy to be talking while most seemed to be breathing as hard or harder than she was. Taking another few steps Katlin wondered how it was Commander Ross had been able to climb the steps with relative ease while all the other crew of the Revalon was struggling so much with the gravity. She knew how Deamos was able to move so quickly, this was his home but he had been away for so long she could not understand how he was not affected in the slightest. Hearing heavy steps behind her Katlin cast a weary look back and saw Dmitri carrying Marcus over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. To Katlin's surprise she saw that the large draft horse was moving with relative ease up the steps even with the added weight of the female wolf now draped over his shoulder. Katlin could see Dmitri was breathing slightly harder than normal but he was taking the steps two at a time and soon caught up to Katlin.

"Eh I cohme behk for chou ahfta I drohp Sonia oft aht de toop, Copy?" Dmitri said while looking down at Katlin.

"I think . . . I . . . can make . . . it to-" Katlin began to reply as she continued up the steps, breathing hard as she went.

"Nicht," Dmitri replied, "Sonia sahid chou cohme grahbt chou nehxt."

Blinking in surprise Katlin looked at Marcus who could only manage a weak grin as she lay limp over Dmitri's shoulder. "Why . . . are . . . you . . . not . . .," Katlin tried to reply before breathing walking and talking became too much to do at the same time.

"Spahce Boorn," Dmitri replied as if that explained everything before he continued up the stairs, Marcus waving weakly as the two moved forward.

Focusing back on the steps Katlin did not hear the approaching footfalls until she saw the shadow coming from in front of her. Her first thought was that Dmitri had already made it to the top and had come back to collect her as well, in which case she really hated the horse for being able to move so fast. She did not fight when she felt herself get scooped up unceremoniously and draped over a shoulder. She only became alarmed when she saw the scaled and cybernetic tail of Deamos. Katlin quickly became more flushed when she realized she was looking at Deamos's butt. Closing her eyes Katlin tried to concentrate on her breathing and get her heart to stop trying to jump out of her chest. As she focused her thoughts her sensitive ears picked up an unfamiliar sound. Turning her head slightly to the left she found her ear pressed against the large black dragons back. The unfamiliar sound Katlin found out was a heartbeat. It was not a typical 'Thump-Dum' as her own but more of a 'Thump-Dum-Rum' after listening for several moments Katlin found that it was something she liked about Deamos.

---

The March Hare drifted undetected and unseen past the border between Imperium Space and that of the Old Kingdom. The Pirate ship had seen better days and the multiple scorch marks running the length of the ship showed it had run into several more defense platforms. Surprisingly for having crossed a massive asteroid belt the outer skin of the ship was intact. Inside the ship the pirate crew was incredibly nervous and the atmosphere was tense. As far as any of them knew, they were the first ship to cross the border uninvited and still be in one piece.

At the moment the ships primary engine and power core had been shutdown. The only reason none of the crew had frozen to death was that a solar sail had been deployed and what little power that generated from the light collected kept the life support systems operating at just above critical levels. The same sail was also providing the means for their slow propulsion. On the bridge of the March Hare the Captain sat watching the main view screen and the shipboard clock ticking off the slow passage of time. He was wearing heavy winter clothes and a murderous expression covered his face. With every breath he took he could see it as he breathed out and feel the chilled air in his chest with every breath he took in.

He had been carefully plotting the course of the Revalon since it had left the Imperium home system per Sykon's instructions. Staying on just the edge of the long range sensors of the Revalon and just within tracking distance of the beacons that had been place on the ship while it had been in dry dock. It had all been going as planned until they reached the border and nearly into the direct sights of a defense platform. They had been following the trackers signal and it indicated that the defense platform was where it was at. This had occurred two more times with each time resulting in them nearly getting blown out of the stars before the pirate Captain realized that the tracking beacons had been compromised. How they had found all of the two inch sized disks on the something the size of the Revalon drove him mad. He was a world class smuggler and had placed two of the trackers himself and knew that in order for them to have been found parts of the ship would have had to of been taken apart, which could have only happened in dry dock so he thought. Somehow all the trackers had been removed and scattered within a twelve hour window as that had been how far behind the March Hare had been from the Revalon.

But now he had managed to plot a course past the defense platforms and through the large asteroid belt. The March Hare still needed to travel at least 200 miles before it was out of the sensor range of the defense platforms. They where no longer within effective targeting range of the platforms but the Captain did not want to announce his presence by firing up the main engines prematurely. He wanted total surprise on his side and if that meant being cold and miserable well the fox bitch would pay all the more for it. He could not kill her or toss her to the crew for their own amusement, Sykon would skin him alive, but he could have her beaten to a bloody mess every day until they reached Imperium space as the medical facilities on the March Hare rivaled Capital Warship of both the Imperium and the Empire. When you are a pirate one can't just dock at any station when you have injured crew.

"Com check!" The Captain growled through gritted teeth, "how long since the last sensor sweep and ping?"

"Fifteen minutes since last sensor ping Captain," a small brown bat, bundled up in several heavy parkas and scarves replied.

"Let me know when it is thirty between pings," the Captain ordered, "at that point instruct engineering to begin bringing the main drive back on line and lock all critical systems until the drive has reached twenty percent output. I don't need systems overloading from and power surges."

"Yes sir," the bat replied quickly, his winged fingers moving over the controls in front of him.

"I'm coming for you bitch," the Captain stated in a monotone voice his eyes narrowing while staring at the view screen.

* * *

"So Shoufahng is it?" Deamos asked with a raised eye ridge while looking over at Commander Ross.

"Da, chu heard dat rieht," Commander Ross replied, taking a small drink from her glass the female tiger looked at the others that were sitting at the rather long table they were currently sitting at. Currently the crew of the Revalon had been seated in a large hall of sorts with multiple tables. The seating had been arranged in such a fashion that the crew were seated by their section while officers were seated at one large table against a wall in the center of the room.

Surprisingly since planet fall there had been no incidents, or none that had required the attention of Commander Ross. From what she had been told all had been looked over by the medical staff from the Old Kingdom and assigned to quarters based on their rank and by section. The hospitality extended of course did not go without suspicion.

"So dat sihister oft yohurs," Commander Ross began looking sideways at Deamos, "shea noht changeed own beht."

"Not in the least," Deamos replied with a disgusted look, "I don't think I have used that much mouth wash at any one time before."

"Oh, dat nat true," Commander Ross replied with some humor in her voice, "rehmeember Sinava-A69?"

"Fuck sake," Deamos replied, picking up his one glass and drinking briefly from it, "you had to bring that up. I was mildly hungry."

"Et wahst fohr deeplhomatic reasons no?"

"I have not though about that place or what happened there in nearly 70 years. I am remembering why now too Commander."

"Chu wohry for heer truhly?" Commander Ross asked suddenly catching Deamos off guard.

"How can I not," Deamos replied after a moment of silence.

"Chu wohnt loose her, ift dat est what chu ahre tinking."

"I lost her once already Commander."

"Buhllsheet, Sykon did dat not chu. Weh bohth know dat. Ift any ting et wahst mhy stashion."

"You were in charge of security; the station belonged to that ass of a Fleet Commander."

"Et wahst mhine," Commander Ross stated glaring at Deamos, "dat faat fuhk couhld noht feend es ass ift es heed wahst ohn beckward."

"I am not debating who controlled the station, I was saying it was his and he had sold out to the Imperium."

"Da, ey remehmber," Commander Ross said sullenly, "She wahst a goot Enforcer. Mohr so for chu wheter or noht chu wahnt to admhit it."

"I know she was good for me," Deamos said taking a drink from his glass, "why do you think I was surprised to find her quiet alive."

"Et ist noht heer Deamos," Commander Ross cautioned, "Debania dieed dat dahy."

"I don't think she died as we would think it. Considering who we have with us and why my brother is hell bent on capturing her."

"Et ist ahn ehco Deamos," Commander Ross said kindly placing a hand on the larger dragons shoulder, "she wahst a poherful Sypethetic. She couhld do tings ey cahn ohnly dreem abhoot ahnd de ohnly ohne dat couhld beaht Sykon wit ouht help."

"But if it just an echo that means part of her has lived on."

"Da, dat est true."

"Besides we both know that is she really wanted to she could warp reality with in a ten foot bubble easily. We were all within that reach and she could very well alter what we perceived."

"Da, excehpt ey whent over da sehcurity emages and dat was sohmting she couhld not change."

"If that is true then why did she remember your interrogation of her as if she had been there? We both know that even if what is in her mind is just an echo there is no way that she could recall with such detail unless it was her."

"Ehco's ahre en all khinds oft strahnge pleeces mhy old friend. Ey haft seen mahny wouhnderous tings in spahce ahnd mahny chrule tings. Dohnt beh reedin somting ahs moor den what et es, ahl dat wilt dho est mahk chu go crahzy. Ift she trhuly ist jest a vheesel oft her mehmory den we nheed chu prohteect her ahnd chu nheed to gho Preemal."

"Fuck that," Demos said loud enough to cause several to look over at him, "I will not put her through that. I don't think she could handle that sort of shock. I recall how you reacted when I did that and you are no wet noodle."

"Da, dat wahst ah sheock," Commander Ross replied distantly, looking down at her glass as she swirled its contents slowly, "dat was behfoor whe Spahcers sphook Planeet Side."

"They call it Common Galactic Trade Language these days," Demos corrected with mild humor.

"Fhuk chu," Commader Ross countered, "Ey chall et bhy what ey leahrnd et ahs. Dohnt cheenge de tohpic. Chu nheed to gho Preemal ift chu whant to ahcees ehvryting en her heed."

"We have time Commander," Deamos deflected, "It many manifest on its own as it did before."

"Da."

"No objection to that?"

"Copy."

"Bullshit Commander."

"Ah keen ahlways ohrder chu to do et."

"To which I would reply with some quip remark."

"Da, chu wohld," Commander Ross stated in a noncommittal tone, her ears swiveling forward, "boot whe keen tahlk aboot dis lather."

As Commander Ross stopped speaking the doors to the massive hall opened drawing everyone's attention to it. As Deamos saw who entered his jaw dropped.

_ _ _

(Earlier)

Katlin sat staring at the mirror in front of her. Her thoughts were not on her reflection but on what had transpired. Shortly after entering the large building that they had arrived in front of Katlin had felt her fur stand on end briefly as if passing through an electrically charged field. After the sensation had passed she felt the relief of normal gravitational pull and not the some three times difference she had been feeling when she had been outside. The power required to alter gravitational forces while on a planet was massive, impractical in fact which was why the Empire skipped over worlds that were habitable if the gravity exceeded more than 1.8 of any of the core worlds. But now she was sitting in what she had learned was a palace with the technology to alter gravity in such a way that it left her tech oriented mind racing to come up with possible power sources and shield or barriers required to perform such a feat.

Looking from the mirror to the brush she had been using Katlin pulled one of her hairs from its bristles and held it up at eye level before releasing it and watching as it fell in a natural pattern, drifting slightly on the small changes in the air current. Had it been shipboard artificial gravity the strand of hair would have fell straight down with no deviation unless she had blown on it. But for it to fall as natural as can be only made her wonder more at how far ahead was the Old Kingdom really. She was inclined to believe that tech difference between the Old Kingdom, Imperium and the Empire was like comparing a burning stick to ship board lighting. A massive disparity in all aspects, which begged to ask the question of why did they not fight back to reclaim lost territory? Had they lost territory? How much of the history that she had been taught was just simple fabrications? Had the Imperium been stopped cold when they tried to advance into the Old Kingdom?

Shaking her head Katlin turned away from the mirror and looked over at the clothes that had been presented to her by the female black dragon that had spoke before everyone when they had first arrived. Katlin had initially refused to accept the clothing but the female dragon had been very insistent and all smiles when she pushed the dress into her arms before leaving her room. The dress was a bright red fabric that that was nearly transparent. Katlin had held it up to the large window that was in her room and she had been able to see through the fabric and to what was outside. But when she had held it against her fur the material did well enough to keep obscure anything that would have been embarrassing. The only other draw back had been that the dress was quite sheer in design.

Putting the dress on the front of the dress did enough to cover the front of her breast. An elegant gold ring connected the material covering her breast. Connecting at the bottom of the gold ring a thin strip of the fabric ran down to just above her pelvis before broadening into multiple strips of fabric that hung around her waist in a free flowing manner that while not connected it obscured anyway for one to see what was underneath.

"Holy crap you look hot," Diana's voice broke in suddenly causing Katlin to let out a startled shriek before spinning around to glare at her friend, "what did you do to get a dress like that?"

"Fuck!" Katlin replied placing a hand over her heart in an attempt to calm herself.

"Really?" Diana asked with raised ears while stepping into the room from the doorway, "you and Deamos finally go at it?"

"What?" Katlin asked, blinking in confusion before her ears flushed deep red as she realized what she had said, "no t-t-t-that's n-n-not what I meant."

"Well damn," Diana stated in a disappointed tone as she leaned against the wall next to the door, "I was looking forward to a good story . . . oh I almost forgot Marcus and Dmitri are in the room next to me and they have apparently rediscovered the joys of sex while planet side. I though the wall behind the bed in my room was going to break down, plus those two are very vocal when they fuck. So FYI they are going to reek of sex."

Katlin stared at Diana with a slightly mortified look on her face.

"What?"

"Does that brain mouth filter work at all for you?" Katlin asked, still mortified, "I really do not need a blow by . . . . moment to moment re-cap of someone else's sex life. It was bad enough with just you."

"Dmitri whinnies when he blows his load," Diana said with a Cheshire Cat grin, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was causing her less adventurous friend.

"Change of topic," stated Katlin, covering her face with one hand and waving with the other, "and it cannot be about sex!"

"You're no fun," Diana stated with a pout her ears wilting slightly.

"No I am fun I just don't like speaking about sex every five seconds," Katlin replied as she sat back down, brushing the fur on her tail idly.

"So what did you want to talk about then?"

"Well . . . don't you find it odd the level of tech on display here?"

"What about it?"

"Are you serious Diana? Gravity inverters with natural compensation drift while on a planet? The power requirements are impossibly huge."

"Gravity who da what now?"

"When we first arrived, before entering this place . . . don't you remember?"

"No I don't, because our zap happy guard on the shuttle decided to use that lightning stick of a fucking tazer on me. So I am sorry Kat, my mind is a little fuzzy about before."

"Oh crap, sorry Diana," Katlin said ashamedly palming her face as she looked down, "so much happened between then and now I forgot."

"Meh," Diana stated with a shrug, "worse things have happened, besides if I see her at that little party I am going to make sure she gets supper drunk take her back to my room and do horrible things to her."

Looking up from her lowered gave; Katlin gave Diana an incredulous look.

"What?" Diana asked with a bemused smile, "I would let Charlie watch. I did not say I was getting rid of Snowballs."

"Again with the brain mouth filter," Katlin groaned lowering her face into her hands.

"Hey I did not go into detail this time."

"Back to what I was talking about," Katlin said lowering her hands and looking back at Diana, "they have gravity inverters planet side. The power requirements needed to maintain even a small field is staggering to say the least."

"Well I think if they had an onsite Stage 5 Fission Reactor with a dark matter injector they could probably pull it off as long as the area needing to be encompassed did not exceed anything larger than a quarter mile."

Katlin stared at Diana with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't work at a high end club that caters solely to military officers and not pick something up," Diana stated before sticking her tongue out.

"Right . . ."

"So besides you trying to figure out how a planetary gravity drive would work what else is new?"

"Okay, what do you know?" Katlin asked with suspicion while her eyes narrowed.

"Was I that obvious?"

"Diana you asking 'what is new?' is as obvious as a munitions freighter exploding in orbit."

"Eat shit," Diana replied with a roll of her eyes, "I saw some female dragon all dressed up in a real skimpy chain mail looking bikini thing hanging off of you boyfriends arm earlier."

"Boyfriend?" Katlin asked in a flat tone.

"Oh come on now Katlin I have seen you eyeball Deamos when he had his back turned, I was too for that matter. For all your 'I hate his guts' you get all school girl when he is not around and someone asks you about him. So yes Boyfriend."

"He is not my boyfriend," bristled Katlin, "and that was the Queen or whatever her title is that was on his arm."

"Oh in that case you don't care that I managed to catch him alone in the hall way earlier and had a little fun with him then?"

"What?" Katlin snapped.

"I rest my case," Diana said with a smirk, pushing away from the wall, "you got it bad for a rather certain black dragon."

"W-w-what exactly was that you wanted?" Katlin asked in a flustered voice her hand going her face and her tail twitching with agitation.

"Besides getting you all flustered and confused?"

"Yes." Katlin relied icily.

"Oh, I actually forgot but . . . but I think it has something to do with that Queen dragon or something I don't remember."

"Well Diana," Katlin began still in an icy tone, "if you're done pulling on my whiskers and setting my tail on fire, I would ask if you could go bother someone else for a little bit."

"I hope I am not Interrupting," a distinctly female voice said from the doorway, drawing Katlin gaze and forcing Diana to turn to see who was now at the doorway

Standing in the doorway was the female black dragon that most from the Revalon had taken to calling the 'Queen'. Her actual title was not known as she refused to say what it was and all attempts had been met with a sly smile and a wink,

"Your H-h-h-h-highness," Katlin stammered with a cringe while standing up from the chair she had been occupying.

"Highness?" The female dragon said with a smile, "you outsiders come up with so many . . . titles? That is the right word yes? Your language is fairly new for me to speak but I try to use it often as I can. But no I am not a Highness, my position and title are not of importance as you outsider place. I came to see if your dress fitted correctly as I forgot to give to two things that go with it."

The female black dragon held up to unremarkable gold rings that had two gold bars running through both parallel to each other. The ring itself was roughly two inches in diameter.

"Um thank you?" Katlin said in a confused tone, "I am sorry but I don't do ear rings."

"Ear, Rings?" the female Dragon asked in a just as confused tone while looking to someone standing on the other side of the door but was blocked by the wall. A brief exchange of hushed word went on before the female dragon's eye got big and she let out a bark of a laugh, "Mech ey Rahng . . . ha ha, I apologize not these are not ring of ears. They are for your dress silly fox."

Bristling slightly Katlin spoke, "my name is Katlin, and it is normally considered rude to address someone as you did."

"But you are a fox yes?" the female dragon asked lowering her hand that held the two rings, "if that is what you are why rude?"

"It is a cultural thing," Katlin said in a flat tone.

"You outsiders so many stupid things that hold you back," the female dragon said in a friendly tone walking towards Katlin, "I am a Fem Demthoiousen . . . bitch dragon? . . . Female yes? I am not ashamed of what I am and those that I care for call me as such.." Stopping in front of Katlin the female dragon had a large friendly smile that despite Katlin's annoyance could not help but feel the corners of her mouth fighting her in wanting to smile back.

"It is still considered rude," stated Katlin.

"That is it then," the female dragon said clapping her hands together suddenly making both Katlin and Diana jump. Looking over her shoulder the female Dragon spoke, "Delinach nuy de bain eh de Revalon eynds."

Stepping out from behind the wall so that he was in the doorway Commander Delinach had to stoop slightly so that his head could be seen. Both Katlin and Diana stood with their mouth a gape as Commander Delinach had been imposing on the Revalon now the black dragon stood nearly twice his size.

"Revalon enydsas est nuy evok," Delinach replied at the female black dragon, his voice sounded deeper and more imposing than before, "enydas Redtail nuy ot Revalon enda socta."

Looking back at Katlin the female black dragon waved her right hand in an annoyed manner making Commander Delinach let out a rumbling growl. "No No Commander you know what happens eft you not do as I say," the female black dragon said in an irritated tone, "now go before I have mine show you why Primal is not allowed."

"Drega a Fem Demthoiousen," Commander Delinach seemed to spit before stepping back out of sight.

"He is such new hatchling," the female dragon stated in a casual tone, "he not get his way so he have temper tantrum. All male same, a female step on their dick and they get butt sore ha ha ha."

"What the flying fiddlers fuck was that?" Diana nearly shouted stepping completely from the wall and in front of the female dragon, "he grew fucking nearly twice what he was on the Revalon. What the fuck happened there? No one can force a shift on themselves like that even with mass compaction which would kill a normal individual. So how the blue fuck did he go from I'm scary looking already to that, that fucking big ugly thing that hides in dark alley that you're not not-"

Cutting Diana off the female dragon put a hand on the snow leopards mouth; this did not stop Diana but merely muffed her speaking. "You speak much and not listen," the female dragon stated calmly with one eye ridge raised, "I remember when you were quiet last time, never say a thing but good soldier."

"Beg your pardon?" Katlin asked with eyes wide in surprise, "I think you are mistaken, Diana is and never was a soldier."

"I misspoke," the female dragon replied in a calm tone, she gently pushed Diana to the side as she walked forward so that she could be in front of Katlin, "you though, are special and that makes an interest of me. But I can find out that later. Right now I need to help you with the dress I given to you as it is missing the gold."

With surprising speed the female dragon gathered up the individual pieces of material that made up the skirt of Katlin's dress and feed the pieces through the gold rings. The effect left the rings near mid thigh and exposing Katlin's legs all the way to her hip. So fast was the female dragon that Katlin had no time to react before the female dragon finished and was standing up.

"Wow," Diana said in an appreciative tone, "you looked hot before now you look stunning."

"What the h-h-e-e-ell," Katlin yelped in surprise looking down while trying to move the material of her dress to cover her legs but found if she moved the material to much it began to expose more of her legs then she was prepared for and ended up blushing furiously when she looked up and saw the female dragon with a big smile.

"Good you ready for breeding now," the female dragon stated, clapping her hands together.

"WHAT!?" Katlin screeched.

"Is that not what you do?" said the female dragon somewhat confused by Katlin's outburst, "you dress up to look nice for males to get them want to breed yes?"

"Oh fuck balls," Diana said suddenly while stifling her laughter, "Katlin, she means you look sexy."

"What?" Katlin asked in an icy tone, "I am fairly certain that 'sexy' and 'breed' are not even in the same category even for one not familiar with our language."

"I have offended?" the female dragon asked Katlin, "that was not my intention. As I said first I am still learning to speak your language as it is so different than our own."

<You are wasting time with this appeasing of the offworlders> Delinach's voice rumbled out from outside the room.

<Quiet Commander> the female dragon snapped angrily, "I'm sorry for the interruption like that. But I am needing to be at the feast hall as you are to be with me as well."

"Whatever," Katlin hissed through gritted teeth while glaring at the snickering Diana, "lead the way."

---

As Commander Ross stopped speaking the doors to the massive hall opened drawing everyone's attention to it. As Deamos saw who entered his jaw dropped.

"Way est mis Reedtail weering dat?" Commander Ross asked in a perplexed tone, "haft I sheen dat drees befhore?"

Standing up quickly Deamos knocked his chair over and nearly the table had Commander Ross not caught and shot Deamos a questioning glare. What she saw made her eyes get bigger. The black dragons chest was heaving in a barely controlled rage she saw his one eye taking on an ugly red glow as well as smoke beginning to trickle from his nostrils as well as the corners of his mouth.

"Dis cahnt beh-"

Deamos let lose an angry roar that forced commander Ross and several others nearest him to cover their ear's while what little din had been going on in the hall quickly cut out and all eyes were on Deamos who was rapidly clenching and unclenching his fist.

"Bradda nouy de-" the female black dragon began to say in a cheerful voice before being cut off when Deamos vaulted over the table and had her by her throat in one hand and off her feet. Her eyes going large in surprise at first, began to take on the panicked look of one not getting oxygen. Flapping her wings in an attempt to get some relief while clawing at the tightening hand around her throat, the female black dragon could see bright spots beginning to fill her vision.

<You have gone too far this time dear sister> Deamos hissed angrily, forcing more smoke from his nose and mouth.

<Drop her half blood> Commander Delinach ordered in a rumbling growl <or you die where you stand>

Turning his head slowly Deamos looked over at Commander Delinach, who was now holding a raised two handed sword in a ready position. Deamos felt his left eye twitch in annoyance at seeing the sword and even more anger at being interrupted. The fact the Commander Delinach was now twice the size he had been when on the Revalon did not seem to faze Deamos in the lest.

"Fuck off old man," Deamos ordered in an uncharacteristic manner, "do not get between blood."

<You are half blood> Commander Delinach sneered, tensing up slightly and shifting his weight back slightly <you cannot claim the blood right>

"Are you going to stop me old one?" Deamos mocked while squeezing his hand tighter on the throat of weakening female dragon, "I would love for you to try . . . again."

Katlin for her part had managed to get away from the female dragon the minute she saw Deamos stand. She had seen the look before that Deamos had been directing towards the female dragon and had preformed a half jump run when Deamos went over the table. Scrambling as quickly as she could she found herself near the closest table and felt a strong hand grip her shoulder and pulling her up and back. Stifling a shriek she looked up to see Dmitri pulling her back while Marcus was pushing others out of the way.

"What the f-f-f-fuck is going on," Katlin stammered in a scared voice.

"Dat beetch gahve chu de drees dah?" Dmitri asked in a strained tone, continuing to pull Katlin back while keeping his eyes locked on the two dragons.

"Y-y-y-yes. Why?"

"Et heed behlong chu somhone vehry close chu Deamos."

Katlin's eyes grew larger, "did it belong to-"

"Da"

"Oh fuck me."

_ _ _

"How much longer," the Captain hissed angrily, his breath coming out in puffs of vapor.

"We can prep the drop ship in two, Captain," a bat replied looking up from the controls in front of him, "are you planning to debark on this one sir?"

"What do you fucking think," the human replied, standing from his chair and dropping the heavy coat he was wearing, "get engineering to bring everything back on line. I am done freezing my nuts off. I want this ship combat ready in one minute and ready to jump."

" Yes Captain," a female Leopard replied with a brisk salute.

Wearing a sadistic grin the pirate Captain moved like a storm cloud from his chair to the back of the command deck to where the ships lift system was. Stepping into it his smile took on a more murderous appearance as the doors to the lift closed and moved him to the main launch bay.

---

The crash from Commander Delinach's sword sent stone fragments flying in every direction. Deamos having been the intended target had simply stepped to one side as the sword came down. By this time Deamos was no longer holding the female black dragon, having tossed her to the side. Taking a step back and leaning back Deamos avoided the upward swing of Commander Delinach's sword.

"You are getting slow old man," Deamos commented in an icy tone.

"<Slow?> Commander Delinach asked, holding his sword up at the ready and his eyes began to take on a dark blue glow <you want to die that quickly half blood?>

"Really old man?" Deamos replied with a raised eye ridge, "we both know how this dance will end here if you decide to go that route."

"That is all you have to say?" asked Commander Delinach, reverting to common his voice becoming more menacing, "you want to lose that other eye as well or perhaps the whole leg? You don't have your bitch her to stop me this time."

"Stop you?" Deamos snarled ducking another swing from Commander Delinach before darting in and connecting with a solid right to Delinach's jaw forcing the larger dragon a few steps back, "I recall you nearly having your head taken off! Something I plan to finish this time!"

Unnoticed by the two fighting dragons but clearly visible to everyone else present was the guards entering the hall and surrounding the two as well as herding all the crew from the Revalon to the far side at gun point. When two of the dragon guards went to collect Commander Ross from the table she was sitting at the older tiger shot them both a glare that would have cut them down had it been a gun, this made the two stop several steps from her with their weapons lowered and pointed at her. Commander Ross for her part leaned forward in her chair and laced her hands together resting them on the table and watched with interest at the two fighting dragons.

---

"We are go for drop Captain," a coyote in the cockpit of the drop ship stated, leaning out off his pilots chair so he could shout into the troop bay directly, "all four drop ship a reporting green across the board and ready to go on your word."

"Good," the Captain said with smile, "pass the order we will insert at an angle of 32, full burn."

The coyote raised the dark visor on his flight helmet that had been covering his eyes and gave the Captain a questioning look, "Sir that will put us in a 2 degree margin for a critical event. If there is any deviation the heat shields will not be able to withstand the friction and we will burn up on reentry in a matter of seconds."

"And any less of an approach will instantly trigger any planetary defense," the Captain growled, "I would rather take my chances with that than no chance with their defense systems, which has already proven to be exceptionally good at targeting anything not supposed to be there. Fall like a fucking rock. Pass the order or I throw you out the nearest airlock."

Swallowing hard the coyote nodded before lowering the visor back down and turning back around in his seat. "All Budongs go to 32 on drop for full burn making a hard landing on site, how copy?" Nodding several times after a few seconds the pilot turned back to the Captain with a thumbs up.

"Drop this bitch."

The sound of docking clamps releasing followed by the lurch of breaking from ship board gravity into space would make anyone nervous regardless of the number of drops. The number of things that can go wrong with in those few seconds are many. From discovering a pinhole puncture in the ships skin to safety restraints failing and those unlucky enough to have that happen they get to experience reentry pined to whatever the first thing they hit. The most ominous is the ship board implosion, early space flight shields had the problem of entering the parent ship when the bay doors would open in zero atmosphere and would be crushed by its own shields that were supposed to protect it.

In this case all everyone in the drop ship felt was the sensation of zero gravity and the safety restraints tightening down. The feeling of weightlessness lasted only a few moments before the pull of gravity began to take hold of the ships heading towards the planet's surface. For those that could look forward to the cockpit the flickering glow from the friction of reentry was burning brightly. Outside sound began to permeate the drop ship growing louder by the moment as well as the turbulence from their current speed and the breaking of the respective sound barrier.

"Initiating full burn in ten seconds," the pilot said over the ships intercom, his voice barely audible but one could still hear the strain in his voice.

When the ships main engines kicked on it pushed everyone into their seats more and caused several to begin praying. The quickest way to get picked up by any planetary air defense was to come in with your engines running, the energy output would light up any sensor worth a damn. Doing while on reentry at a steep angle was inviting disaster but would also mimic what an asteroid would look like on reentry. The only issue was that particular type of drop had a failure rate of 70%.

---

"Why is he dicking around like this?" Marcus asked Dmitri in an irritated voice, "the guards are getting twitchy and the longer he plays this out the more nervous they get."

"Meh," Dmitri said with a shrug, "He es mahkin a pohint den."

"For what?" Marcus growled, "last time these two fought it went on for two days and all of us nearly being executed."

"What chu whant meh do?" Dmitri asked looking down at Marcus.

"What you can take him down," Marcus stated giving a very characteristic wolf grin while elbowing him in the side, "big strapping horse like you could kick his ass."

Dmitri snorted in response, not amused. "Deamos he not chaged yeht. Weh sthill gut."

"Change?" Katlin asked looking over at Marcus, who winced as if something was said that should not have, "like Delinach there? He c-c-can fucking do t-t-t-that too?"

"Deamos can get big too?" Diana asked, popping up next to Marcus making the female wolf jump in surprise.

"Da hell?" Marcus nearly shouted raising one arm in a defensive action.

"He is big already," Diana said with a sly grin directed at Katlin which in turn made the female fox turn bright red, "how much bigger can he get? I mean Deli-snack there is already twice what he was at least and why can they do that I tried to ask that question earlier with miss fancy pants and she shut me up quick. It some sort of genetic mutation thing or what, cause you can't create something from nothing and I know matter converters only work in non living items. Live tissues tends to get squishy when compacted."

"Dat es clahsseefid," Dmitri stated simply.

"That is such Enforcer bullshit," Diana said crossing her arms and glaring up at Dmitri, "You can tell me here or in the infirmary after I have kicked your balls into your stomach. Your classified BS is fighting not ten feet from us . . . and . . . they . . .they are moving faster . . . a lot faster."

Marcus grabbed Diana by the back of her neck and squeezed down hard enough to make her let out a yelp and bend forward to take some of the pressure off. "Look Diana I like you. I mean it I do like you, but threaten physical harm on one of my Enforcers again and I you will regret it. There are need to know things in this world and right now what you need to know is that we are in a fucked situation right now and I don't need you shooting your mouth off. So whatever passes as a mute for you I would strongly urge you to apply it right now until told otherwise. Am I clear?"

An angry roar interrupted Diana before she could say anything. Looking up from Diana Marcus saw that Deamos had used his own knife and had managed to stick the blade nearly to the hilt in Commander Delinach's right arm making him drop his sword. Instead of doing more damage Deamos simply pulled the blade back out and wiped it on his pant leg. Commander Delinach was glaring at Deamos and clutching at his injured arm.

<You little shit> Delinach snarled at Deamos <you dare stab me with that blade. To afraid to fight honorably?>

"Honor has nothing to with this old man," Deamos replied turning his back to Delinach and walking away, "don't worry the neurotoxin in the blade will only incapacitate you for an hour. Hopefully by then you have removed what passes for a brain from where ever you have it and cooled off. Blood is blood and I will claim what it my right. Dechneeta es Dechndeta."

Around the room the other dragon guards chanted 'Dechneeta es Dechndeta' they never took their eyes off the crew of the Revalon but they continued to chant the same phrase over and over. Thoses that had been nearest the guards did their best to back further away from them and looked particularly nervous.

"What are they saying?" Katlin asked in a nervous tone, watching as Delinach went to a knee, a pained expression on his face and Deamos went to where the female dragon was still laying.

"Blood right or Blood oath," Marcus replied her attention fixed on Deamos, "a rough interpretation. Commander I hope you are not going to do what I think you are going to do . . ." she whispered railing off.

Katlin swallowed hard when she felt the grip on her shoulder tense and felt even more nervous when she looked up and saw even the cool headed Dmitri looking rather nervous as his attention was also fixed on Deamos. Katlin began to open her mouth to say something to Marcus when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. They way they reacted had only happened in the presence of another powerful Sympathetic. Eyes going wide Katlin barely whispered but it was enough to get Marcus to look over at her, "Sykon's here."

At the opposite end of the hall door that had been closed opened and in marched more dragon guards wearing uniforms and armor different from the other dragon guards. Seeing this Katlin felt her blood run cold.

---

"Captain!" The coyote pilot shouted over the engine noise in a strained tone, "6-0 seconds until target. Gravity is 3 times norm and we are falling faster than planned!"

"So?" The Captain yelled back, "put us on the roof if they haven't shot us down yet I don't think they will. "

"You don't understand sir," the pilot yelled back, "at current rate we need to fire braking thrusters or we will hit the deck like a bug on a windshield."

"You do that and every AA battery nearby will light us up," the Captain yelled, "have everyone get ready for a break line drop."

"But . . ." the look the pilot got from the Captain said enough for him to keep his mouth closed.

A break line drop was dangerous, so dangerous it was called break neck by those that had ever experienced it. It involved those doing the drop planet side to hook up to a repel line as the transport began a nose dive and drop from the back of the ship as it pulled up. The key was to move as fast as possible while maintain control of you decent. Move to fast you hit the deck and break bones. Move to slow you end up dropping from the end of the line when it has moved several hundred feet up, usually ending in death. Very risky but had the capability to drop a large contingent in a matter of seconds and allowing the transports to get out of any AA batter range nearby."

"Everyone hook up," the Captain snarled. Unstrapping himself from his seat and standing up. "We are dropping in."

---

Katlin felt herself relaxing slightly when she realized that the dragons entering the hall were not wearing the colors of the Imperium or the Lightning Fist. She could still feel the presence of an incredibly powerful Sympathetic but she could not pinpoint it. She felt a little better when she had glanced over at Commander Ross and saw that the female tiger did not look worried. Katlin Knew that if she could feel the presence then Commander Ross could as well and see that she was not reacting meant she was familiar with whoever this Sympathetic was. But seeing Deamos now squatting next to the female dragon and apparently speaking in low tones to her made her feel more nervous. When Deamos looked up over at the other Dragons entering the room Katlin thought she saw an annoyed expression on his face but it could have also passed for anger. Standing up Katlin winced and clutched her own side when she saw Deamos let loose a vicious kick to the female dragons side before heading towards the other dragons.

Stepping from behind several guards a shorter ancient looking female dragon stepped out. This new dragon was wearing red satin robes that had been embroidered with very intricate designs of flowers and birds in flight with gold thread. The robes covered everything save her head, hands and end of her tail. Her scales may have been darker at some point but had faded to a grey no color tone. Two horns decorated her head one slightly behind each eye. A short ridge of spines rand down from the back of her head to the end of her tail. No jewels or crown her head or fingers and no necklace or other jewelry was visible. Stopping short of Deamos this new female dragon raised a hand to Deamos indicating she wanted him to take it. When he did not this sent a ripple of angry murmurs thought the ranks of guards present.

"Fuck balls Deamos don't be an ass," Katlin heard Marcus whisper, looking over at her she saw that the female wolf had Diana in a head lock and one hand clamed over her mouth.

"I am not your subject anymore," Deamos hissed angrily.

"Fuuuuuuccccckkkkkk," Marcus stated in a more audible tone.

"That may be true," the female said in a sad tone, "but for my own flesh and blood disrespect my home is even worse."

"Disrespect!" Deamos shouted, waiving his hands to all the guards present, "you manipulative bitch you do-"

Katlin stoop slack jawed and eyes wide. Deamos had been knocked back, not by the older female dragon but by some unseen force. She had heard of some Sypathetics with the ability to physically move small object with their thoughts but the effort left them drained and extremely exhausted. There were those that could do psychic attacks and knock someone down by disrupting their own bodies ability to move but that also took much effort. To compare what had happened to what Katlin knew was like comparing a lit match to a fuel tanker crashing into a fireworks factory. In other words completely awesome to have seen.

Slowly getting to his feet Deamos let out a pained groan before shaking his head seeming to clear his thoughts. Looking to the older female dragon Deamos let out a short snort.

"Watch your language and tone," the female stated, "or you will receive a second lesson."

"You caught me off guard that time," Deamos challenged, "it won't happen again."

No sooner had the words left his mouth when a second unseen force struck Deamos. Unlike the first time it seemed to only push him slightly and dissipate around him causing the air about him to shimmer slightly.

"I told yo-" Deamos began to say but was cut short as he was knocked forward and on his stomach. Sliding several feet and stopping directly in front of the female in front of him.

"I told you to watch your tone," the older female said in a chiding tone, much like one scolding a child.

"Did . . . did . . . did she just hit him from behind?" Katlin asked excitement growing in her voice as she looked from Dmitri to Marcus. "Do you have any i-i-idea what that means as a Sympathetic?"

"Not really," Marcus replied, struggling to hold onto the squirming Diana.

"I need to know how she did that," Katlin stated in excitement, while clapping both her hands to her chest. 'She is not even tired and she has done whatever that was three times. I mean I saw Charlie push a pencil across a table but he was all sweaty and tired afterwards and it only moved like six inches. She knocked Deamos like ten feet and he has to weight more than three hundred pounds easy."

"Katlin," Marcus hissed angrily, "you are about to join your friend here if you don't shut up."

Katlin's mouth closed with an audible click but her eyes were still dancing with excitement. Marcus cast Katlin one more cautionary glare before looking back at Deamos who was slowly getting back to his feet.

"If you are done being an arrogant hatchling I think we can move forward now," the older dragon stated walking past Deamos and heading towards Commander Ross.

Commander Ross for her part remained seated and watched the approaching dragon. When the older dragon stopped in front of the table she had to look up slightly in order to look Commander Ross in the eyes. The two females did not exchange words but they both gave small nods to each other that could have also passed as a small bow to each other.

Turning to where the crew of the Revalon had been gathered by the other guards, the older female dragon walked towards them and seemed to be looking at each member of the crew. As she drew closer she seemed to have found whom she was looking as she had stopped looking from side to side. Stepping past the guards she made a simple hand gesture that seemed to order them away, to which they complied slightly taking several steps back from the crew but they kept their weapons trained on them. Stopping in front of Katlin the old dragon looked Katlin up and down, but to Katlin's surprise she saw that the elder dragon was blind, both of her eyes being a flat milky white. Turning from Katlin she looked over to Marcus and Diana to which she raised an eye ridge at seeing the snow leopard in a head lock by the wolf.

"I see neither of you have changed much," the old dragon said in a bemused tone, "though I recall . . . Diana was it . . . being in uniform not . . . that."

Katlin let out a short bark of a laugh, "Diana has never worn a uniform, unless it was for the club she worked at."

The elder dragon's head whipped back in Katlin's direction so quickly that Katlin was sure she would break her neck. "You are not Debania. Why do you look as she does."

"Pardon?" Katlin asked blinking in surprise.

"You look like her and I can see her," the elder dragon said as a growing frown formed on her face, "who are you?" Before Katlin could respond the older dragon reached out and ran her scaled hand over Katlin's muzzle and face. "You are . . . wolf? . . . no you are not big like wolf . . . smaller."

"Fox. The word you are looking for is fox," Katlin said in an irritated tone.

"Deamos has his mark on you but . . . he has bred with you," The elder dragon said tilting her head slightly.

"Okay," Katlin said angrily stepping away from the elder dragon, "I don't know what you all are trying to do but I am not some brood animal. Since I have been here all I hear is breed this an d breed that and why I have yet to be Bred by that fuck."

"You talk like her but you do not sound as she does," very interesting, the elder dragon said rubbing her chin.

"F-f-f-fuck," Katlin stammered angrily, "why are you all so interested in who you think I am damn it?"

"I think a better question is who you were," the elder dragon replied in a calm tone.

"W-w-what is that su-p-pposed to mean?"

Before the elder dragon responded she looked past Katlin looking to the wall behind them, a curious expression forming on her face. Katlin felt compelled to turn as well, just as she did a loud bang assaulted her ears right before a concussion struck everyone nearby and knocking everyone down that was nearby and peppered all within a twenty foot bubble from the wall with material. Dust and smoke filled the air as well as the moans from those that were injured. Katlin was bent over coughing and trying to clear her lungs and the ringing in her ears. Looking towards where the hole had formed in the wall Katlin could just made out movement from behind the settling dust.

Stepping through the hole with boots crunching on the rubble that had been the wall a single individual stared out at the destruction that had been created. The Pirate Captain was wearing a black duster that matched his boots. In one hand he held a burning cigar, while the other hand he held over his mouth. At his right hip Katlin saw a holstered gun of some sort that she did not recognize, it was long barreled and seemed to have a cylindrical body that looked like it rotated just above the trigger mechanism. But was even more confusing it seemed to be made from the same metal that enforcer firearms were crafted from.

"Good evening folks," the Captain said in friendly tone while lowing his hand and raising the cigar to his mouth, "if you could kindly help me and my business associates out, we are looking for a female about five foot, red fur and apparently belongs to a rather psychotic red dragon by the name of Sykon. Her name in Katlin too so if she is here could someone point her out and we will be on our way." Coming from behind the man more entered the room all with weapons.

The answer he received was a barrage of weapons fire from the guards that had been in the room. None of the energy bolts that were released hit their intended target. There was not an issue of aim, the issue came from when the energy seemed to hit a barrier that was a few inches from the individuals. The captain for his part seemed rather annoyed that they had even shot at him. In response he pulled his own weapon aimed at the first guard nearest to him fired. The sound from the weapon was nothing like anyone had heard. The guard even with the armor he wore staggered back several steps before dropping dead with a smoking hole in the chest plate of the armor he wore.

"Now that I have your undivided attention," the Captain began in a less friendly tone, "I have personal shield modulators that are very popular back home. So your little lasers sticks are not going to do much unless you can burn the battery out before you run out of a charge. In my business experience that ain't gonna happen. Now the next fucker that tries anything I start shooting the ones without weapons starting with that big horse fucker there, you might be able to do some damage. But you look like you half at least half a brain. My business partners here are going to do a look over of every last fucker in here and see if she is here. If she is we leave no more bloodshed. If she is not, y'all will have ten, that is minuets to bring her ass here or I will start shooting someone every fifteen seconds until she is brought out. I like being upfront with everyone so if you want to save yourself some trouble, just point her out. Hell I will even say please."

"Fuck you pirate," Marcus growled her ears going flat against her head.

"Now that was not very nice," the Captain said in hurt tone while looking to the other members of his crew that gathered behind him, "here I have been the most of a gentleman a human like myself can be under these circumstances and you go and say that. You have any idea how hard it is to be friendly and talk to an animal like an equal?" He continued looking back as Marcus while bringing his freehand to his chest in a heartfelt gesture, "I mean we don't have walking talking animals from where I am from, maybe parrots but they just mimic. So I have to try hard to be friendly and talk to you like an equal when I am just seeing some walking talking wolf bitch that can't keep her mouth shut. You say anything else and you are not going to like it. That goes for all of you, raise your fucking hand if you want to say something and it better be helpful or I will have you shot."

Diana raised her hand before Marcus could stop it and thus she was no longer holding a hand over her mouth.

"You there," the Captain said, waving his gun hand in her direction, "happy tits, what?"

"What's a human?" Diana asked blinking.

"Well I am a fucking human and I am surprised you don't know of my kind," the Captain replied, "considering my species and these big lizards have been fighting for better part of 100 years. Now that was the only stupid question anyone is going to ask, minus asking to go piss. Next word out of anyone's mouth had better be where this Katlin is."

"Boss?" a rather large cougar behind the Captain inquired, drawing his attention, "I think that one is her. She matches the image crazy sent us."

"What?" the Captain responded looking over in Katlin's direction, "Sykon wants her?" he asked scratching his head, "she is nothing special I'm mean he has no taste, her tits are, eh, and no ass. I would rather pick ol' happy tits over there. Double check the image."

"I did boss," the cougar replied handing a tablet that had a holographic 3D representation of Katlin, "Katlin Star Redtail," he read looking from the image to Katlin, "part of the Empire's, Logistics and Computer Tracking Division. She a tech geek? God Sykon has no taste in women. You live with one . . . Diana Stryker, snow leopard . . . I assume that is her," he said pointing Diana's direction, "completed mandatory service of two years before going into the LCTD, blah blah blah, no family, blah blah blah, awards and crap . . . god you Katlin are one boring individual. I had more fun reading up on your room mate there, she has some nice vids on the net I had hopped you would be fun but nope."

Katlin could feel a cold knot growing her stomach even after looking over at a grinning Diana who just shrugged in an unapologetic manner.

"Now Miss Redtail if you would kindly just step forward we can leave these nice folks to whatever the fuck it was we interrupted."

"She is not going anywhere," Deamos rumbled, stepping past the elder dragon and positioning himself in front of Katlin, "I know who you are, Captain Tmerack."

"Just Captain, I don't like my last name all that much but I won't change it as I am the only Human this side of the Aldrian Rift."

"She is not going," Deamos repeated in a menacing tone.

"SO you must be the big dick in the room," the Captain said crossing his arms and looking Deamos over, "or you want to be the hero. Heroes don't live very long that's why you never seen them."

"I am Commander Demthoiousen Falchion," Deamos stated, "and you, Human, have just stepped into a world of shit."

The captains left eye twitched slightly, "you have to be shitting me. So I just walked into an Enforcer convention or something? I know who you are, never saw you before but my boys talk about you like your some bogyman hiding in the dark just waiting to grab them. You are a big motherfucker so I can see why they get scared. I know Sykon would pay a lot more then what he is giving me if I told him I killed you as well. "

"You could try, but you would fail, last chance to leave with your life," Deamos threatened.

"Now I assume that hand cannon at your hip is standard enforcer issue? Meaning it is an energy based weapon? And you probably think mine is the same considering I was able to get it made with that weird fucking metal your kind mines. Well it's not, I had my gun built after one of my all time favorite weapons from my world. I like old guns so I had good old Peacemaker built as well as ammunition and everything. Now the funny thing is this metal of your works great for energy weapons and crap but the damndiest thing happens when you put solid ammunition down the barrel. Here let me show you."

Before Deamos could react the shot rang out striking him in the chest, knocking him backwards. Everything seemed to slow down; Marcus tossed Diana to one side and began to run towards Deamos. Dmitri was doing the same when a third shot rang out striking Dmitri in the shoulder and spinning him which caused him to crash into the passing Marcus knocking them both to the floor. Katlin was turning with Deamos watching him as he went to the ground; blood seemed to be flowing into the air as he fell back before striking the ground his chest heaving in an awkward pattern. Only a matter of seconds passed but to Katlin is seemed as if an age had passed.

"Wow," the Captain said in surprise, "he went down easy. Boys go get Miss Redtail so we can get the fuck out of-" he ducked without warning as a large sword came sailing at him, missing by inches and striking the cougar that was behind him in the chest. The sword buried itself to the hilt and at the angel it struck it also went to the floor.

The cougar for his part was making gurgling noises as he slid down the blade slicing his hands open and cutting fingers off as he clutched at the blade.

"Ok then," the Captain stated warily while standing back up, "did not see that coming, apparently he did not either." Holstering his gun he walked down to Katlin. He laced his fingers together and flexed his hands outward cracking his knuckles. "That was a big fucking sword." He said stopping in front of Katlin, shaking his head. "So Miss Redtail to make the easy for everyone," with a hard right hook he struck Katlin square in the jaw.

Katlin had watched the Human come towards her with fear and was not completely shocked when he struck her. What surprised her was how hard he hit her, it registered in her brain that he knew what he was doing even as the explosion of stars filled her vision. She felt herself falling down but not hitting the ground instead she felt herself moving and suddenly looking at the ground and a firm pressure around her waist while the rest of her hung limply.

"Now that I have what I came for I will departing," the Captain said with a hand flourish, "try to stop me and she dies. Anyone tries to follow, she dies. SO everyone stay where you are at and nothing bad will happen." Turning around the Captain began walking back towards the hole in the wall holding Katlin around her waist and to his hip letting her hang limply.

As he continued forward the Captain noticed that several of his crew were staring at something behind him with their weapons raised and ready, even as fear was dancing in their eyes. Rolling his eyes and letting out an exacerbated sigh he turned around drawing his gun in the process. What he saw standing before him nearly made him drop Katlin. Standing behind where Deamos was laying was a thirty feet of angry teeth and claws.

"Well that's just not fair," the Captain said in a shocked tone.

Stepping over Deamos Commander Delinach's clawed feet cracked and broke the ston from the weight. The heat radiating off of him with each breath he pulled made sweat break out on the humans brow. A red glow could be seen emanating from the back of his mouth with each time it cracked open. His rumbling breath could be felt by everyone in the room. Taking another step forward the large dragon closed the distance between himself and the Captain to within a few feet. In response the Captain drew his gun and fired. The ring of a ricochet made him any everyone else standing duck down.

"That's really not fair," the Captain stated again, taking a step back, "what the fuck you waiting for shoot the fucker!"

From behind the Captain several more pirates came into view shooting their own riffles and other assorted weapons that they had. For every shot that hit Commander Delinach, he seemed to just shrug it off. The first Pirate that Delinach was able to actually grab was a large wolf that at first did not seem to care that he had been picked up and continued firing his weapon. Commander Delinach had used both hands to pick the wolf up and where his hands made contact with the shield sparks and smoke were created. When he squeezed and the muscles in his arms bulged from the strain momentarily before a loud snap pop was heard as a bright flash filled the room. The shield unit the wolf had been wearing had burned out trying to keep the amount of force being exerted on it from Delinach. The wolf for his part was thrashing wildly as the eight inch claw on all of Delinach's fingers sank into his flesh. When he screamed out in pain he was silenced from a savage bite to his throat causing blood to gush out. With a savage tug the wolf's head was removed from his shoulders and with two snaps of his jaw it disappeared down the dragons throat.

"That's not right," the Captain said in disgust, a mortified look on his face, "he owed me money!"

Turning and moving to a light jog as the other pirates that had accompanied him went to fill the space with guns and try to cover his exit. A small group of six accompanied the Captain to offer support if they ran into more trouble. Delinach for his part was systematically crushing tearing and stomping on every pirate he could sink his claws into. Following his lead the guards that had entered with the elder dragon began fighting as well, none carried any firearms but each carried a heavy sword. The other guards were moving the crew from the Revalon from the fighting.

During all this Commander Ross remained seated and idly brushed plaster from the table she was at. She was probably one of five individuals in the room not surprised by the change that had happened. Her gaze briefly passed over the unmoving Deamos and a brief twinge of worry crossed her features as the pool of blood forming around him was growing but she knew she had other worries to confront, much like the first time she had visited the Old Kingdom.

Leaning back in her chair she let out a sigh as she saw Delinach rip some poor soul in half, flinging gore everywhere, "Wehlcom chu Drahknaliss . . . where blhood rhuls ahll."