Iron Dragon Chapters 111-112

Story by dieselmutt on SoFurry

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#55 of Iron Dragon

And so you get a short glimpse of something from the darker part of my mind. Omega Nightmare, because war is not only physical, but psychological as well.


Dallarth swiftly disarmed the grays and destroyed the machines. All of the dragons quickly recovering, the others still felt weak, but they were faring better.

"How do we stop Nodrog?" One of the council asked. While Dallarth, Inilth and Nightrunner quickly subdued the grays.

"We can't, and we don't. Mianth summoned him because in her heart she thought the situation was hopeless. Nodrog's most powerful form cannot be called upon to win, an already won battle." Dallarth said. They had left the viewing screen intact.

"How do you know that?" Perenth asked.

"He told me. Like our entropy, omega weapon is absolutely a weapon of last resort. Only when the battle is hopelessly lost, can it be called upon. The more dire the summoner thinks the situation is, the more powerful Nodrog becomes." Dallarth said.

"That is why no one living has seen it, everyone involved in the last battle had been slain. The last time he must have been summoned by the person's dying breath." Nightrunner said.

"They found Nodrog sitting amidst the battle field. The only combatant still living, but it was clear that something much larger had ended the battle." One of the council said.

"So Nodrog himself cannot call upon it?" The bear on the council asked.

"Nodrog has to swear his power to someone who does not want it. Only that person can unlock all of his power." Inilth said.

"He called it omega protocol, a built in safety to keep it from being abused." Dallarth said.

"Those daft humans that created him did something right? I find that hard to believe." One of the elves on the council said.

"In any case, it is too late." Inilth said and gestured to the screen. Where Mianth stood unprotected next to a growing lake of black.

"So it begins." Dallarth said.

Earlier.

The meeting was going great. Mianth stood in the command center of the ship and supervised everything with a smile on her face. The Velopians were proud of her earning Admiral Eryk's and the dragon's approval to take care of things in their absence. Mianth did not feel overly proud, but simply happy they thought she could handle things.

The meeting was in the human's building this time, and thanks to Lilith bringing a few magic totems, they could talk freely. Saving Jenny and her a great deal of effort. It had taken longer to explain to Marko's staff and aids than anything else. Jenny had to assure them everything about it was perfectly safe. Lilith had her hair pulled back in such a way to hide her elf ears and was dressed in a manor to fit in.

Sherman was watching from his command center in the security center of the building. He would feel better if Nodrog was here, but as it was things were going well. The small group of media handled themselves quite well and unlike in the past, respected the rules laid out to them.

"Mianth, we have gray ships incoming." One of the Velopians said.

"No, not now!" Mianth exclaimed.

"They are dropping troops!" A second Velopian yelled.

"Raise shields and alert the augmented forces. Prepare all batteries to return fire!" Mianth yelled. She wished Perenth was here, she was no fighter. Actually she was just repeating orders she had heard the others yell when they came under attack.

"Sherman we have incoming!" One of his officers yelled.

"Charge all weapons and put the ground unites on red alert. Convey a message down to the meeting." Sherman said and watched as the alien ships dropped ground armor and troops.

"Return fire!" Mianth yelled as the first enemy shots hit the shields.

The grays quickly took out the heavy point defenses and kept the human and Velopian air forces on the ground. Sherman remained calm as he ordered troop movements and issued commands. Mianth was certainly not calm but she was still managing to keep it together enough to get orders out to her forces. Thankfully the other dragons could give orders and assisted the young water dragon in defending the two ships.

The dragons that did not navigate, took up arms and assisted the Velopian ground troops in defending the ships. They were thankful the humans' armor could damage the grays' armor. The humans lacked a technical advantage, but they made up for it, with brutal simplicity.

Sherman had gotten a full armor division sent in. With mobile artillery for good measure. The main battle tanks and the one five five howitzers were holding off the grays. For the moment, with no air cover the howitzers were sitting ducks. The meeting itself was safe, they were deep inside the building in a reinforced portion used for an emergency shelter as well. He ordered the building locked down and everyone to take shelter.

They could hold out for a while, he had already called for reinforcements. As he watched, the dragons lost their strength and simply collapsed on the battle field. Sherman ordered some armor to cover the Velopians trying to get the dragons back to safety.

In the face of ever growing numbers and her dragon allies losing their magic, Mianth fell to her knees crying. She was no fighter, she was just a navigator... The human and Velopian forces were just getting slaughtered, the shields were failing and the ships were starting to take damage.

Her tears fell in streams when, in a single heart beat she suddenly felt a surge of power well up inside of her. After hearing Nodrog tell her what to do, Mianth stood and wiped the tears from her eyes. The Velopians were confused as she teleported out onto the battle field between the gray forces and her own.

"Commander Alyvia! Mianth has left the command center and joined the battle!" One of the officers yelled.

Alyvia, quickly spotted the young dragon and yelled as she ran out to her. "Mianth what are you doing?"

The young water dragon's eyes glowed like black suns and the magic radiating off of her was almost unbearable. "Fall back Alyvia, I will take care of everything."

Alyvia ducked as an incoming shell bounced away instead of hitting them. "Oh goddess no, what have you done?"

Spreading out in front of Mianth was a toxic black pool, instantly melting the snow and setting the grass on fire as it spread. A tangible evil coming from it. As well as an overwhelming sense of despair and torment.

Something pierced the bubbling vile sludge. It looked like a jagged sword but as more of it became exposed they realized it was a horn atop an eye and nose-less head. The featureless head continued to rise out of the pool. No snout or even eye sockets, just a smooth black metal head with a mouth full of man sized teeth.

"WAR!" Omega nightmare hellishly screamed as it rose from the muck. The ground shaking as it slammed a leg on solid ground.

The fighting had nearly stopped as the humans and Velopians retreated as the monster continued to rise out of the sludge. The grays continued to fire every weapon they had at the horror. The rancid smell of death and decay over powering the air filters of everyone's equipment.

Omega Nightmare was clearly a dragon in some regards, and clearly something entirely unholy. The tar dripping off of it, left some areas uncovered, revealing rusted metal bones, metal plates and machinery. Its twisted form equipped with weapons of all kinds. A horrific mesh of machine and rotting flesh. Like a perverse living battleship reeking of death and hell itself.

It was also incomplete. It looked as if they had raided a junk yard to find parts to just place randomly. The black metal flesh encasing only half of its body. What was not covered in flesh, or scavenged and rusted machinery was left exposed. Cables and gears worked with metal muscle to move it and aim its weapons.

Except for Mianth everyone covered their ears as the colossus nightmare roared. A dark and unholy light formed in its partly open, sludge dripping maw. Omega looked to the sky and unleashed a hellish attack on the largest gray ship in orbit. Silencing the ship and all aboard it at once.

It took an ungainly step forward lunging at the nearest gray vehicle. Taking a large portion of earth with the hovering tank. They watched as parts of the tank appeared rusted and broken next to other machinery. The hover tank's weapons now added to omega's arsenal. "Alyvia to augmented units, pull back, whatever that thing eats becomes part of it!"

Omega nightmare made a hissing, squealing laugh. "Ssssalivo...!" All of the cannons, guns and artillery barrels groaned and squealed as they aimed at targets. It was a cacophony of weapon fire and tortured machinery wailing in protest as the nightmarish siege weapon slowly waded out into the grays ranks laying down a constant barrage of fire. A thousand years of weapons coughed smoke, sprayed lead or belched balls of plasma. Giant naval guns pounded the grays' large landing ships with twenty four inch shells.

Every weapon perfectly aimed, every single shot hitting its target. A perfectly orchestrated and deafening symphony of slaughter. The director laughing insanely as the invading army fell. Which was all they could do, because their returning fire had no noticeable effect. The grays tried to retreat, pulling into the air only to have the nightmarish horror grab hold of the ship with its mouth, pulling it from the sky.

As omega nightmare fed on the ship more armament was added to its twisted form. Missiles joined the racks of projectile weapons. Extending omega's reach further, the more it ate the larger it grew.

The grays in orbit fired capital ship siege cannons at it. Omega howled in pain and anger. Turning is eyeless gaze back to space to retaliate. The humans and Velopians had disengaged and focused on saving their injured comrades. And not doing anything to draw fire from the living siege weapon.

Omega Nightmare took painfully slow step after step. Firing every weapon at every gray that so much as twitched, any vehicle that might still work. Pounding everything in its wake to dust. Its weapons only falling silent after every single enemy Mianth had, had fallen. Even the armada in space was reduced to silent broken tombs now drifting through the cold uncaring void.

The humans and the Velopians cowered in fear as it turned its featureless gaze upon them. It walked right up to Mianth and bowed its giant head next to her. "Your enemiesss are no more. Misstresss only you can end thisss tormenting exssistance." Omega nightmare said with varying degrees of pitch and tone.

Alyvia had not left Mianth's side. The young dragon unflinching despite the rancid wheezing breath coming from it. Even hell had to smell better she thought. What stood before them was the nightmare that haunted the nightmares of hell. No sane, for that matter not even the insane could have thought creating this nightmare was a good idea.

Mianth put her hand on the smooth metal head. "Return to the nothing you came from. You have completed your sworn duty."

"Yesss." Omega nightmare hissed and took a step back raising its head high. Letting loose one more nightmarish roar before its form fell apart. It dissolved into a vile pool.

"Mianth!" Alyvia gasped and caught the girl before she fell face first to the ground. Thankful the rancid odor left with the creature. She looked out over what had been almost a legion of gray warriors. Save for the pool of sludge, nothing out there moved.

Nodrog rose up from the shrinking pool of sludge and walked over to Alyvia and Mianth. His normal form returning and solidifying as he walked. Alyvia took a step back as he came up to them. "Mianth will be fine, it is a tiring ordeal to control omega weapon. Take her up to the crystal tank in the ship and place her in it, she will recover much quicker."

Alyvia passed Mianth off to another of her warriors and followed Nodrog to the loading bay where they had set up a triage. She watched as the iron dragon walked up to a wounded Velopian, placed his hands on her and magically healed her wounds. Nodrog turned to the medic. "Concentrate on the most severe cases, I will handle the minor injuries."

"Thank you." The medic said and hurried off to help another.

Sherman jumped out of a jeep and ran over to Alyvia and the others who were shocked that the iron dragon turned all of his attention to helping the wounded. As if the thing he was not minutes before, never happened. Sherman was concerned when some of the council showed up with the other dragons.

"What is he doing now?" One of the council asked. As they walked up the ramp to the loading bay. Ten of them in total, with Nightrunner, Perenth, Inilth and Dallarth.

Nodrog stood between two injured Velopians, with all of his magic released and both sets of wings on his back. He had a hand slightly above both Velopians and was healing them very quickly.

"He is healing the wounded." Nightrunner shed his heavy coat and ran over to aid the Velopian medics. Nightrunner, having greater healing magic concentrated on the most severely of wounded.

Sherman turned and yelled to the soldier in the jeep. "Bring all of our wounded here!"

Nodrog ignored the council and the others, concentrating on helping the injured. Inilth and Bothrog joined him. Perenth resuming command and getting the Velopians to start putting out the fires and containing the damage to the ships.

Nodrog lacked the advanced healing magic the others had, but he could take the minor injuries off the hands of the stronger healers. "I am sorry I could not have helped sooner."

The male Velopian Nodrog just healed grabbed his arm. "Even you have limits. I thank you."

A few of the less arrogant of the council did so as well. Those that did not remained distant, so not to get mortal blood on them. They watched as for the next several hours the iron dragon expended a great deal of magic healing those he had failed to protect. Granted those that did not help, only proved why Nodrog disliked the council.

Sherman and Alyvia returned to the main building to give those in the meeting an update.

"We don't know how many we have lost. The medics are doing their best to help all of them they can. The gray forces... are all dead." Sherman said solemnly.

"We should adjourn for now. Let us take care of our fallen. We can meet again tomorrow." Marko said.

"Agreed. What changed the tide?" Eryk asked.

"Mianth summoned omega weapon... it..." Sherman could not describe what it did.

"Omega weapon did what it was supposed to do." Alyvia said as she pulled off her helmet. "We are only alive because the iron dragon slaughtered every single gray that stood against us."

"And now he is healing the injured. I should go help them." Lilith placed her hands together and cast her teleportation spell. Lilith quickly asked where she should start, and set off to heal the human troops that began to show up.

Most were a little to shocked to say much as the cute little elf tended to their injuries. Not as powerful as Nightrunner, Lilith was still a skilled healer. Her presence drawing a little contempt from the council members who stood idly by.

The battle had gone for nearly thirty minutes when Mianth summoned omega nightmare. It took but a few minutes for that horror to end the entire conflict. They spent the rest of the day tending to the injured.

Nodrog was thankful Sherman rounded him up a pair of pants. More than just his actions seemed to be a little distracting to some. Nodrog smiled as Mianth walked over to him. "I am glade you are okay."

"Only because of you. I was so scared, I. I couldn't do anything. And then..." Mianth said.

"And then what?" One of the council asked.

"Just as I thought it was the end, and everything was lost. Something exploded inside of me, yelling that all was not lost. I heard a giant machine start up, and Nodrog told me all of his power was mine to control." Mianth said.

"What did you tell him to do?" A old male elf asked.

"She ordered me to stop the grays any way I could." Nodrog said.

"I do not know if I trust an emotional and irrational youngling to have control of that power." The one dragon of the council said.

"How dare you insult our sister!" Dallarth roared in anger. Clearly frightening both the council and the Velopians.

Perenth put a hand on Dallarth's shoulder. "Calm down."

"I will not calm down! What does that pompous old fool know?" Dallarth yelled.

Mianth was embarrassed that Dallarth had to stand up for her. She was also worried Dallarth's anger would get the better of her, when the shadow dragon put a hand on the hilt of her sword.

"He knows nothing. As part of the omega protocol, Mianth cannot summon omega weapon ever again." Nodrog said and placed a hand on Dallarth's hand to keep her from drawing her sword. "Ignorance is no excuse, but you are right. He should not be questioning or insulting her actions."

"Not being oath bound to anyone means, that horror cannot be summoned at all." Inilth said.

"Then he should swear an oath to one of us." The young elf on the council exclaimed. Several council members loudly agreeing with him.

Almost the entire ship fell quiet when Nodrog laughed at the council. "All of you are fools. It does not work that way. Only someone of competent magic ability, who does not want the ability, may summon omega weapon. That person can only call on it one time. Omega Weapon does not answer to those that demand it. Of all the people here, only one qualifies, per omega protocol." Nodrog said and crossed his arms.

"Who is that?" Nightrunner asked.

Nodrog chuckled again. "Why Lilith Prerx of course."

"An even worse choice." One of the council said.

Depending on who you asked, Jenny was, or was not being a good influence. Lilith spread her hands and ignited a powerful spell in the space between them. "I am growing tired of your abuse nightwalker!"

Mianth raised a hand and held an even more powerful spell charged. "Nodrog is right. Just because we are not heartless, uncaring monsters does not mean our actions are wrong."

By this point the humans and the Velopians were growing a little uneasy. They were not prepared for a fight between monsters. Still the mortals sided with the two young monsters, who had done everything they could to help. Mainly because the two typhoons would surely take the two young monsters' side.

"I suggest the two of you rethink your positions, very carefully." The old elf said.

"Or what? You will punish them." Nodrog said coldly. He stood behind Lilith.

"You will not harm either youngling as Nodrog and I stand with them." Dallarth said and stood behind Mianth. The two typhoons' eyes glowing eerily. Their power expanding as their anger fueled it.

Those on the council were rather powerful, however the whole council did not have the power of Nodrog and Dallarth. A god would have a difficult time reaching either girl with the two typhoons defending them. At the moment, Lilith and Mianth were untouchable to anyone who wished to do either harm.

Nightrunner was standing to the side. "Mianth and Lilith have every right to speak as any other monster. The reason behind this meeting was to allow or halt the dragons from pursuing vengeance for their fallen kin. Their actions have no bearing on that in any way."

"That is all that can be weighed at this point and time. I would suggest to the council to stop insulting Lilith Prerx and Mianth the Mellifluous. For they have done nothing wrong." Nightrunner added. He was duty bound to protect those on the council, but he knew better then to stand against Dallarth and Nodrog. For that matter he knew better to even be standing near them if their tempers got the best of them.

Alyvia stepped forward. "In fact the two of them have done a great amount of good this day. More so than most of you."

Sherman had stood next to Nodrog. He did not know if Alyvia's armor gave her a fighting chance if it came down to that, but for a women of a timid race, she had some big brass balls. "I have to ask, does the council do anything but insult and threaten?"

Sherman's comment had gotten Lilith and Mianth to snicker, causing them to lose focus on the spells which dispersed harmlessly. It made him the focus of the council's ire, but at least the two of them were off the hook.

Dallarth chuckled. "Your pup seems to be getting rather comfortable with his new found position." Dallarth relaxed a little as the council argued.

"I am not a very good instructor in some matters." Nodrog said.

"I think I like him. Still, we should get the humans and the Velopians to head for their quarters. It has grown late." Perenth said.

"Indeed it has." Eryk said as he and the Velopian ambassador walked up. "All of you are to return to your duty stations or quarters!"

Sherman issued a similar order for the humans. Both groups quickly taking their leave to do just as ordered. "I have people trying to repair our heavy defenses, but most might not be salvageable."

"Unfortunately your forces seemed to take the brunt of the attack. I did not bring any heavy armor with us." Eryk said.

"We are on a diplomatic mission, none of us expected the grays to retaliate so quickly." The ambassador said softly. A male Velopian with silver hair and a very heavy set of antlers.

"Ambassador Sharn, we did not know you had come with them." The young elf said in surprise. Most of the council who remained bowed.

Ambassador Sharn stood a head higher than the other Velopians and had a heavier build. One of the few elk like of the Velopian race. His robes hid the scars of fighting with the grays more than two decades ago. If standing against the grays were not enough, he fought and bested a fire drake in single combat. "Well now you do. If you do not mind, we have work that needs done. Give the dragons your answer and be gone."

Lilith and Sherman were both shocked, they did not think mortals could speak with that tone to the monster council. The ambassador was quite an imposing man and not just in his stature alone. Especially when the two dragon typhoons bowed to him.

"You will have to excuse us Ambassador, there are not enough of us to weigh on a ruling. Perenth and Inilth will have their answer by first light, this world's time." The dragon said and bowed.

"Very well." Sharn said. With that the council left, quickly.

Chapter.

With the council gone, Mianth's tears fell again. "I'm so sorry I failed everyone."

Dallarth's anger was quickly washed away by the little dragon's tears. Dallarth pulled her close and hugged Mianth tightly. "Shhhh, it's okay. You did the best you could, no one thinks you failed."

"We know you do not like fighting, and we know you did your best." Alyvia said. Thankful Dallarth's anger was gone, and sorry they could not have done a better job against the grays for the little water dragon.

"So we meet at last iron dragon." Sharn said and bowed slightly.

Nodrog bowed a little deeper. "It is an honor, Ambassador Sharn." He was thankful, Perenth had told him a little about the ambassador in their earlier meeting. Any mortal who could fight even a lowly drake, unarmed and win, deserved a great deal of respect.

"I doubt the grays will try anything for the time being. Still if we have a ship that will make orbit, I would like a little more warning." Sharn said. Eryk turned and gave an order to get a craft launched. Sharn walked the few feet between them and knelt down so he did not tower over Mianth. Sharn reached out and wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. "Do not cry Mianth, I know you did your very best."

"I, I will try even harder." Mianth said wide eyed. Mianth and the Velopians had never seen Sharn kneel before anyone. Actually Nightrunner was just as shocked.

Dallarth smiled. He never knelt in submission or to appease someone of higher standing. He did so only to those who earned his respect. Mianth had earned it because she had stepped out of her safe little bubble to do a job she was not comfortable with.

"I get the feeling you had planned this out from the start." Perenth said and looked at Nodrog.

"I thought there were rules and protocols." Sherman said.

Nodrog smiled and shrugged. "I might have lied about a few details."

"Then what is fact and what is fiction?" Sharn asked and stood.

"I cannot transform into omega by my own will and choosing. Someone has to summon that form, those are both facts. The emotions of the person do in fact determine omega weapon's strength and to some extent its form. I lied about who can and cannot summon it." Nodrog said.

"So it did not have to be Mianth, and could have been any of us?" Bothrog asked.

"Actually, Eryk and Sharn have enough magical competence to summon if I had swore and oath to them. There is however, a reason why I choose Mianth." Nodrog said with a smile.

"You, you tricked me?" Mianth asked wide eyed.

Alyvia laughed. "Nodrog did not trick anyone. It all makes sense now."

"Would you be so kind as to enlighten us?" Eryk asked.

"Nodrog choose Mianth, because she is so caring. It had nothing to do with her magic strength, but how big a heart she has. He has said several times that the person who summons omega, determines its strength by the emotions they feel." Alyvia said.

"Alyvia is correct. I choose Mianth because of her feelings for all of you, her respect and admiration. I counted on the grays bringing their magic nullifying machines with them, that combined with her devotion to all of you..." Nodrog said and trailed off so they would connect it on their own.

"Guarantied your most powerful form would quickly be called. You used Mianth's greatest strength to gain your own. I had not heard you were one to use intricate strategy." Sharn said.

"Because this past year is the only time I have been free enough to do so. I have fought alongside brilliant tacticians, and a few who only accomplished anything because I was on their side." Nodrog said and swore in dragon after the last part.

"Is there any other point you would like to clear up?" Nightrunner asked.

"Yes, because I trust all of you. Mianth can summon omega weapon any time, I did not want the council to hold that over her head. There is a point I only learned of today, because of our bond as master and slave, Jenny can also summon omega weapon." Nodrog said.

"I will pretend I did not hear that. My sister does not need any more reason to hate you." Nightrunner said.

"How did you find out?" Sherman asked.

"Jenny was only a heart beat slower in summoning it. From this point forward, in their darkest hour, Mianth and Jenny will always be able to call forth the darkest nightmare." Nodrog said.

"We will have plenty of time to talk this week. All of us should get some rest." Sharn said. With that he bowed and headed to his quarters.

"We should go as well." Nodrog said and walked to the loading bay doors. Lilith and Sherman quickly following him.

Nodrog made sure all three girls went to bed. He cheated and used a little magic to get them to think they were sleepy. Even Lilith did not notice the trick and after they were sleeping soundly, he went back outside. Nodrog chuckled softly as he walked among the broken gray forces. He was only amused because someone was trying to follow him, without him noticing.

He wanted to keep watch, and being outside was better than inside. Omega had destroyed all of the nullifiers the grays had brought with them. Nodrog walked a little further into the mess and stopped in front of a chunk of a landing craft.

"You are not very good at sneaking up on someone. Mianth, I know you are there... I can smell lilies." Nodrog said with a chuckle and glanced over his shoulder.

Mianth blushed as she walked over to him. "I was not trying to sneak up on you... I just wasn't sure if you wanted company."

Nodrog smiled. "I always enjoy company. I had thought you would have been in bed."

"I wouldn't have fallen asleep yet anyways." Mianth shivered not from the cold but where they stood. It was too cold for the dead to decay, but there was a charred flesh and machine stench in the air.

"Are you okay?" Nodrog asked.

Mianth moved closer to him. "I know they can't hurt me now, but I am not really comfortable out here..."

"That is okay, your place is not on a battlefield." Nodrog said.

"But your place is not always the battlefield..." Mianth said softly.

"I suppose not, but I always seem to find my way back to one." Nodrog said and turned as he felt someone else move. "And someone followed you. I know you are watching Dallarth."

A shadow fell away from a twisted gray machine and stepped forward, Dallarth revealing herself in the bright moon light as she walked over to them. Mianth had no idea she had been followed and was a little angry about it.

Dallarth had followed Mianth in her shadow form. "I was surprised you waited so long to call me out. I had wondered where Mianth had run off to."

Mianth blushed even more. "I just saw he was alone out here... And thought he could use some company."

Dallarth and Nodrog both smiled and laughed. "You are not a very good liar Mianth dear."

"I was more curious about why Mianth had come out. It is good she has someone like you to look out for her." Nodrog said and chuckled.

Mianth was very embarrassed, she did not think she was so easy to read. Sure three hundred and forty two might not be old by dragon standards, but she was adult enough to know what she was doing. Roslyn certainly made it clear he was very good at it. Mianth had stopped the first and only male who had shown interest in her... The otter had made her think maybe it was a mistake.

Dallarth smiled and turned. "I could think of better places..."

Nodrog and Mianth watched as she faded to black and lost all form once more. Mianth was so embarrassed by how easily they read her. She turned and looked up at him, the moon light reflecting off his metal scales. Mianth took a half step and had to stand on her toes, but she just closed her eyes and kissed him.

She was more shocked that he put his arms around her, then the actual little spark she got kissing him. It was over rather quickly. Mianth blushed even more.

"There are better places for this, and you are cold." Nodrog said softly.

"Okay..." Mianth said and teleported them to her quarters on the ship. Because of the energy required to teleport the ship, all navigators had their own quarters. Only the ship's highest officer had more amenities. Her room was draped in a very noticeable ocean theme. Lots of blues, turquoise and bright colors. The floor was covered in beach sand. It smelled like the sea in her room and she had a few small water fountains.

Mianth quickly removed her shoes and checked that the door to her quarters was locked. Being surrounded by water and the sand calmed her down, as well as the sounds from a noise machine. "Do you want anything?"

Nodrog admired her slender form as she simply shed the clothes she was wearing. "No thank you." He followed her back to the bedroom where her nervousness returned.

Mianth had not been nude in the company of a male before. She was standing in a manor so she was still covered with her back to him. She had short blue hair, with short horns that had rounded ends. From the top of her neck to the tip of her tail was dragon. Softly blending into the lightly tanned elf skin of her back. Unlike the other dragons her tail was not rounded but broad and flat along its length, making her a very quick swimmer in either form.

Nodrog walked up behind her and put his arms around her once more, feeling her tense up. He kissed the back of her neck. "You are so tense, let go and relax."

"I have not done this before..." Mianth blushed more and let him pick her up. He set her down on her bed, which was just a very large sand colored pad. Large enough she could lay on it in her true form. He took off his own clothes before laying next to her. They kissed again and he explored her body with one of his hands.

Mianth did not moan, but her small breasts, the lower parts of her abdomen and inner thighs flushed with color. The smell of lilies growing stronger, a very soothing aroma. She did tense up as his hand came up her thigh, a very soft whimper escaped her lips as his scales teased a part of her she did not know was that sensitive.

Nodrog shifted and lowered his head down to tease her small breast with his mouth and tongue. Mianth moaned very softly and flushed even more as her body temperature climbed. He kept all of his touching and caressing light to get her to relax.

Mianth watched as he kissed his way down her body. Kissing much lower then she expected. "Hey wait. Don't. Not there..." Mianth did not know what to make of the sensation of his tongue going into her, his lips teasing hers as he kissed her in a very new way. She had reached down to stop him, but her body quickly over rode what her mind wanted.

Mianth grew a little more vocal as she felt a growing sense of pleasure. He held onto her hips and rubbed the scales of his snout on her clit. Her body completely taken by the sensations he was giving her, her back arched as she had her first orgasm. Thankfully he stopped and kissed his way back up her body. She looked up at him, a sly little smile on his lips along with her fluids.

Nodrog leaned down and kissed her as he put an arm under her. He held her close and rolled them both over so she was on top. He wrapped his tail around hers, using it to get her into position. They were not quite lying down, sort of partly seated letting her control how fast she wanted to take him inside of her. He had gotten her so the tip of him rubbed between her vulva.

Almost all of her body was flushed as she took him. Unlike humans, elves and some other races, dragons lacked hymens. Mianth herself was a little surprised when she took all of him. Her eyes widened as he tightened his grip on her tail keeping her from moving.

Nodrog smiled coyly, he nuzzled and kissed her neck. Putting his arms around her, he laid back bringing her with him. Now that they were laying, he loosened his hold of her, enough that he could move his hips. Mianth made a soft and low clicking growl as they mated.

Mianth tightened her own grip on him with her arms and tail as she climaxed once more. Pulling him deep into her as his knot swelled inside of her. All of the things she had felt today washed away and she fell limp on him.

Nodrog kissed her forehead and chuckled as she snored and blew a bubble now sleeping deeply. It would now be early morning as he got dressed. Nodrog managed to turn the lights down low before he teleported back outside the ship. He heard some human soldiers moving and headed off to that sound.

Sherman looked up as one of the men pointed out to Nodrog as he walked over. It was a little after six am. "Morning."

"Early start I see." Nodrog said.

"We were hoping to salvage some of the grays' tech... If you didn't blow it all to hell." Sherman said and sniffed the air. "You smell like flowers..."

Nodrog just chuckled. "The only thing I was aiming to destroy were the nullifiers."

They turned as a few of the power armored female Velopians walked over to them. Alyvia was leading and had a knowing little smile as she looked at Nodrog. "Ferale and Sephya are my technicians, they could help you salvage some of the grays' tech."

"We would appreciate any help. That way we are not wasting time collecting junk." Sherman said. Wondering how she was speaking English to them.

"The shield generators are well protected. They will be difficult to salvage, but they are well worth the effort." Ferale said softly.

"We have spent enough time with humans, our armor can translate your language." Sephya said with a little smile.

Alyvia pointed to a throat mic that she and the others were wearing. They looked very similar to the ones Sherman had used during special ops training. "Since our armor lets us perform a number of tasks, we needed to be able to speak more languages now. The CPU in the armor can learn a language in a few hours of just listening."

"I want one of those." One of Sherman's officers said.

"That would be handy, how many does it translate?" Sherman asked as Ferale pointed out where they needed to cut.

"Five, along with Elf and Monster. For some reason the computers and the magic translators cannot learn Draconic." Alyvia glanced once more to Nodrog. "I do not suppose you know why that is?"

"I do not, have you asked Perenth or Inilth?" Nodrog asked.

"Yes and they would not say. I am a bit curious as to why you smell so much like mian lilies?" Alyvia asked.

"I'm not saying, it would be impolite." Nodrog said and helped pull a thick sheet of metal from the tank.

"Oh, well I will just have to ask her then." Alyvia said with a little smile. It was amazing how sharing a battlefield could change a person's opinion of another so quickly. She was not very trusting of the humans, until they held the gray forces at bay, even covering the Velopians after the dragons fell.

Many of the female warriors were knowledgeable of the grays' tech, they had to be in order to fight it. Their armor gave them the strength to move heavy things and they all carried a small assortment of tools. The grays' used an odd type of fastener to hold the parts together. They had to use plasma cutters or saws to cut out the things they needed.

Jenny and Lilith woke up at a later hour. Alice had gone to work already. Jenny fixed them breakfast.

"You are a wonderful cook Jenny." Lilith said as she came out of Nodrog's room. This was her third day staying with them. She was a little hesitant at first, but she was really enjoying it.

"Thanks. It took a little work at first since Alice and my diets differ." Jenny said and set a plate down for Lilith.

Lilith sat down at the table. "You both make it so effortless, I really had not noticed."

"We have been living together for a few years now. It has been natural for a while." Jenny said and sat down at the table.

They ate a light breakfast before they headed back down for the meetings. Jenny was very thankful Lilith could help. The calm nature of the Velopians also helping and Jenny was starting to think like Roslyn and was wondering when they would go to the Velopian home world.

Jenny was a little sad they did not get to spend much time with the other dragons. Perenth and Inilth were the only two that joined the meetings. Nodrog insisted he would not contribute much, if anything to the meetings. The pretty flame dragon as well as the stone dragon said little in the meetings.

Technology wise, the Velopians were only a step or two ahead of the humans in a few areas. The Velopians had skipped over inventing firearms of any size, having used bows and cross bows if they did not use magic. Until they made pure energy weapons. However the humans had made considerable strides in medical advancements. Since they had abandoned magic long ago. Internal imaging like MRI and PET scans greatly interested the Velopians. Because magic did not work on every illness.