“I came to offer you a job. A very special job,” Eve says bluntly.
“Me? What kinda job could I possibly do that some of the millions of people in your military can't?”
“We are creating a special unit that specializes in small unit tactics. It will train in many different environments, and use special high tech gear, weapons, and armor. They will be doing a lot of high-risk missions that require extreme preparation and out-of-the-box thinking. I have read your mind and have seen your record with small unit missions. I think you would be perfect for the commander's job,” Eve explains.
“I thought you couldn't read my mind,” Tala says.
“Seems we were both playing each other that day when I visited.”
Tala chuckles. “Indeed. I am not sure how well I would do in a military. I have no military training. All that high stepping and saluting... Yes sir, no sir,…parades, uniforms... blech.”
“You would have ranks and saluting, but within your own command you could design it the way you want. Special teams usually wear mission gear, not uniforms when walking around. Uniforms would only be for special occasions. You can go back to commanding twenty pirate fighters if you want, or be a general commanding 2,000 troops in special teams in the largest, most modern military in this area of space. Pay is two million bars a month, plus incentives and bonuses, retirement plan, medical, and vacation.”
“You sound like a recruitment ad,” Tala chuckles.
“Yeah, I do. Is it working?”
“Who would I answer to?”
“General Scales. He is the supreme command of the military. He is a lot like you, thinks out of the box,” Eve says.
“Guess I will try it. At least I won't have to worry about people betraying me much,” Tala says.
“Very good. General Scales will be most pleased. I am certainly happy to have you on board, General Tala,” Eve says.
“Has a nice ring to it.”
They both laugh.
***
Eve continues to build cities and modernize her empire, as her military machine becomes the stuff of legends over the next three years. Doctor Farshe marries the Grand Chancellor of the Wolfkin Grand Counsel but still commutes back and forth between the Wolfkin and Dragon World. She has twins, a boy and a girl for whom Eve is named godmother.
The war rages on in the Undead-Hive conflict. As it escalates, the Hive is losing because they are outnumbered and outgunned. The losses are in the billions, and the Hive has lost 65 percent of its territory. They had abandoned the worlds they inhabited in dragon space to pull back and defend their home worlds. Eve moved quickly in to claim these abandoned worlds and created military stations all along the border to keep anyone else from claiming them. The Wolfkins gave the worlds Eve requested back to the Dragon Empire and signed an iron-clad alliance. The miners living on those worlds stayed and became citizens of the Dragon Empire. When the dragons came to those worlds they learned they could work with the miners and produce 20 times as much product than they could working separately. The partnership made both groups extraordinarily wealthy.
Eve masters Teleportation Magic during this time. She creates huge teleportation rings and places one on each planet in her domain. The rings provide instant teleportation from one planet to another planet. They were created to mobilize troops, dragons, and ships in the military and send them anywhere in the Dragon Empire.
Katin worlds on the Reptilian-Katin border were attacked and hundreds of thousands were killed. The Reptilians denied everything. Katin declares war on the Reptilians and mounts a counterattack. Katin citizens that are working abroad in other empires are recalled in a military draft; however, most refuse the draft and stay in either the Wolfkin or Dragon Empire and become citizens. This causes Katin to break off diplomatic relations with both Wolfkin and the Dragon Empire and ban travel there.
***
General Slota sits in his chair analyzing the intelligence reports he has been given to look over before the meeting with the other military officers. He has been the leader of the Ludi military for about twenty years now. He was happy when his plan to gain more planets and space from the Reptilian and Katin space was working.
The Ludi were a race of plant people that had a medium-sized empire that bordered both the Reptilian and Katin empires. Their tech was more advanced, but they lacked the numbers to openly attack and expand their empire in that direction. The general came up with an idea that would cause a war between the Reptilian and Katin, depleting the military power of each. His plan made each of them think they were being attacked by the other, thus causing a war between them. He is now making plans to invade the parts of their territories closest to the Ludi borders.
***
Eve is sitting in her throne room performing her typical Empress duties when the page comes in and interrupts the current audience.
“Empress, you have a long-range Vid-Com marked urgent incoming from your daughters on Dark World,” the page says.
Eve stops talking and says, “I will continue this discussion at a later time ambassador. Please excuse me.”
The ambassador from Katin leaves in a huff. The Vid-screen comes down out of the ceiling and activates in front of Eve. She sees both her daughters there on the screen.
“What is it, my sweet children?”
“It is Grandmother. She has been discovered and arrested. They are charging her with treason and are planning a public execution! Can you save her?”
“Oh dear! I will see what I can do. Don't worry my sweeties. I will chat with you later.” Eve distractedly ends the call with her daughters; she knew this day would come eventually.
She presses a button; a white dragon appears on the screen.
“Hello, Shelly,” Eve greets.
Shelly fumbles around on her desk, not having expected a direct call from the Empress, and says in a slightly panicked voice, “Hello, Your Majesty. What can Immigration Services do for you today?”
“I need you to process citizenship papers on a human. I am transmitting her information now. I need this fast tracked, like in 10 minutes. Not the usual fourteen days of red tape. I am depending on you, Shelly. I will even give you a week’s paid vacation to Faerie World if you can do it.”
“Yes, my lady. I will have it done in 10 minutes.”
“Bailiff, bring the Element Empire Ambassador here to me at once. Drag him here if he gives any excuses.”
“Understood.” The big black dragon leaves to find his quarry.
Eve says, “Connect to Dark World, D.I.A.” The screen opens up to show Keridor the Shadow Dragon at a desk.
“Greetings, Spymaster Keridor,” Eve says.
“Hello, Hello, Your Highness. What can I do for you?”
“We have operatives on the Elemental Empire Home World, right?”
“Yes we do. In fact I just got a report from them now, and the Grand Chancellor Kredigal has just been taken into custody for treason. I think they are going to execute her.”
“Oh, so it is true. Damn it. Okay thanks. Keep me informed.”
“Will do.” Vid-Com ends.
A few minutes later the bailiff returns with a fat, middle age human dressed in fine robes.
“What is the meaning of this? I was having an important meeting, and this oaf comes and drags me here. My government will hear about this mistreatment of their diplomats,” Kayhill says, ending his tirade.
“I hope your meeting was at least of legal age this time. I am sure your government would love to know its ambassador is a pedophile. The public would surely want to know.” Eve attempts to push his buttons even more.
“That was a mistake. I didn't know that she—”
“I didn't call you here to discuss your sicko habits. I called you here because your government has imprisoned Grand Chancellor Kredigal. I want to speak to the council immediately about this matter. There is an office outside this chamber with a deep Vid-Com in it. Contact them and transfer it to me. NOW,” Eve says with
escalating anger.
Kayhill says in fear, “Yes, Your Highness. Going to do that now.” He stumbles out of the chamber in a frantic pattern. He goes into the office next door and activates the Vid-Com. It connects to the Council Chambers where they are currently in a meeting.
One of the councilmen says to Kayhill, “What is it Kayhill? We are in a meeting discussing important things.”
“Dear kind sirs, the Dragon Empress wishes to speak with the council.”
“About what?”
“It's about Grand Chancellor Kredigal. I suggest you talk to her; she is not very happy at the moment.”
“Grand Chancellor Kredigal is none of her concern. That is our business.”
Kayhill say nervously, “But sirs, I really think it would better if you talk to her. She is not someone you want to anger.”
“I don't care if she gets angry or not. I am the new Grand Chancellor, and it's none of her business. Vid-Out!”
Kayhill leaves the office, trying to sneak down the hall to escape from the palace. Unfortunately for him, the bailiff is right outside the door. The man grabs Kayhill and takes him back to the throne room. In the throne room, Eve waits impatiently, tapping her claws on the arm of the chair. Kayhill gets tossed to the ground on all fours in front of the Empress.
Eve speaks loudly, looking down at Kayhill expectantly. “Well? Why is my Vid-Com not showing the council?”
Kayhill says with his face down, “The new chancellor says Grand Chancellor Kredigal is none of your business. It's an internal problem.”
Eve jumps down, picks up the fat man by his robes, looks in his face, and screams, “None of MY BUSINESSS?!?” She flings him across the room, where he hits a pillar and falls to the ground. “You are worthless.” She leaves the room and walks to the palace entrance. She activates her Com badge and says, “Prepare my command ship and send my shuttle down to pick me up. Also, mobilize the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Dragon Legions to my command ship.”
“Yes, my lady. What about the fleet?” 42 asks.
“Nay, leave them here. They are too slow for what we are going to be doing,” Eve states.
“Roger that.”
A shuttle comes down to the palace to pick up Eve and fly her to the command ship. She arrives in the main landing bay. She gets off to see rows of thousands of Marines standing in formation.
General Pace commands, “Battalions: ATTENTION.” The Marines snap to attention, and they and their commander salutes the Empress when she walks by.
“As you were,” Eve says, exiting the bay and going into the hallway to catch an airlift to the bridge.
She enters the bridge and sees General Tala standing there chatting on her Com badge. Eve sits down.
“I didn't call for special units. What are you doing here Tala?” Eve inquires.
“One of my special units is a 250 dragon unit called Eve's Brutes. They are the meanest, toughest badasses we got. And they are getting stir crazy waiting for action, so I was hoping you would take them along on whatever mission you are going on. That is them over there.” She points at a small group of dragons way off to the left of the screen, beyond the 4th Dragon Legion.
“Yeah sure. They can come. Are those spikes on their new armor?” Eve asks.
“Yeah. Wicked looking isn't it?”
Eve tells one of the dragons to come to the window in front. He stops in front for Eve inspection.
“Oh that is cool looking. They even painted the Dragon Empire flag on both sides of the armor,” Eve says with pride.
“Those were my ideas.” Tala is obviously proud of her contribution, and rightly so.
“Generals, when we get back, I want all of the Dragon Armor to look like the Brutes’ armor. You can keep them color coded for each division so that every dragon will know which division they are in.” The directive comes over the fleet wide intercom.
“Roger that. We had problems with the communication interface with the head pieces, but Doc designed some ear implants that work with the rest of our technology.”
“Really? Dragon ear implants... Hmm, I think I will get those put in. I hate headsets for fleet maneuvers. If I had implants, I could communicate much easier with dragons and ships in our armada,” Eve reasons.
“You should get it done then,” Tala encourages.
“I will. Check in report.”
42 says, “All dragon legions are fully accounted for, as well as the Brutes. The ship is ready for light speed. Linking dragon armor with jump formation. We are now the lead jumper. “
Nelma says, “Destination?”
Eve says, “Elemental Empire Capital.”
Nelma announces, “Course laid in.”
“Jumping now,” Helma says, pushing buttons as the entire fleet disappears into space at the same time.
“42, connect to the D.I.A.,” Eve commands.
“Coming on screen.”
“Keridor here. How can I be of assistance, Empress?”
“I need a full intelligence report on the military strength of Elemental Capital,” Eve requests.
“Sending it to you now. Anything else?”
“Contact me with any changes.”
“Will do. Out.”
42 says, “We will be there in 23 hours.”
Eve says on fleet channel, “Be prepared for anything. I am uploading ship schematics for all the enemy ships we have on file to your communications display in your ear implants. The schematics show weaknesses and the best areas of each ship to attack. When you target a ship, the red areas that light up on the ship display are the areas you want to target first in order to do the most damage. Remember to roar first to generate an EMP that will knock out the shields and other systems for a few seconds. Then attack the red areas marked on the ship display first. If you are attacking a ship not on file, your display will send back that ship’s information to my command ship for our tactical computer to analyze for weaknesses. It will then send back a suggested attack plan. You have been training for years for combat so remember your training. Follow your unit commanders’ orders.”
42 says, “Four Dragon legion divisions; that is 40,000 dragons. We must be invading something big. The planet we are going to only has about 1,000 battleships protecting it, at least according to these intelligence reports. Isn't that a bit of overkill, considering each dragon is the equivalent of a battleship or two?”
“It more of an intimidation tactic. I don't think we will actually attack anything. I am just going there to get the Chancellor they have in custody before they execute her,” Eve says.
“Oh, so this is more of a practice maneuver?”
“Yeah. Well, I hope so. I don't really want to destroy 1,000 ships. I just want the Chancellor.”
***
As she led her battleship in a massive Undead invasion force to Arachnia the home world of the Arachnids (the warrior cast of the Hive Empire), Helcar was pondering her master's plan.
Helcar is a Dragonoid, or a Dragon Demon summoned to this plane of existence from a place called Firegate in the Dragon Netherworld. Xothanjiaz (Xoth), the Dragonlich ruler of the Undead Empire was the one who summoned Helcar to do her bidding. Xoth placed a symbol of obedience on Helcar to force her to obey Xoth. Helcar is always looking for a weakness in her master. If Xoth were ever to lose her grip on Helcar, Helcar would turn on her instantaneously. The demon only wants to go back to Firegate. Xoth became an Undead Dragonlich in a botched resurrection attempt. She hated all life so much that she created the Vampire race and hordes of other Undead to help her conquer the universe. Her ultimate goal was to make everyone her undead servants.
“Commander, we are being hailed by the command ship,” First Officer Jenko informs.
Helcar says, “On screen.”
A creepy hooded figure with a female's body outline appears on the screen. Two flaming eyes show in the darkness of the face area.
“Let the attack begin. Destroy the ships first, then join me on the ground with the ground as
sault. I will personally kill the Spider Queen, and then the Hive will fall. Then on to the Capital of the Hive, Bee World to kill the Queen Bee,” Xoth instructs.
“Yes master, we will begin,” Helcar says, wanting to slit her wrists every time she has to call Xoth “Master.” She thinks this grand plan will fail somewhere; they are attacking too much at one time. She is hoping the Spider Queen will defeat Xoth and the spell keeping her here will be broken so she can go back to Firegate. The Vid-Com deactivates.
Helcar announces, “To all divisions: begin the assault.”
***
Back in Elemental Space, the Vid-Com activates on the main screen. Keridor appears on the screen a few minutes before Eve's attack force comes out of light speed.
“Empress, the Undead Empire began attacking with an invasion-sized force on Arachnia about 15 minutes ago. The spiders are losing badly. The Dragonlich is locked in combat with the Spider Queen as we speak.”
“I feel for them, I really do. But we never could open any formal relationship with the Hive, even though I really tried. Xoth is a piece of crap that I will have to deal with sooner or later. I can only hope the Spider Queen is able to defeat Xoth,” Eve says with honesty.
“One other thing...Gothica is on Arachnia right now. She was visiting and doing some concerts to raise the morale of the Arachnia troops. I am sorry, but it is highly unlikely she will survive.”
“Oh my, no... No... She was safe in Wolfkin territory. Why did she do that?” Eve responds with serious emotions flowing through her body. Everyone can tell she is deeply affected by this news. There is no way she can get to that area of space in time to help. She sighs.
“Well, I will have to grieve later. I must save my mother now,” Eve says aloud.
The whole bridge looks at her with a puzzled look at the unexpectedness of Eve's statement.
“Yes, the Chancellor is my mother. Or at least she was when I was part human. Er, well... Your mother is always your mother... Bah! It's complicated. Those peckers that have her better give her up. I am not in the mood to put up with crap from anyone right now,” Eve stumbles over these words, gaining strength as she goes on.
42 says, “Coming out of light speed in 30 seconds.”
Eve says, “Start jamming the long-range communications. Shields up, weapons hot, do not fire until I give the command. I know you all have itchy trigger fingers, but—”