Solarian Down

Lenaga Scrambled into a run and grabbed the orc rifle she had used. She took ammo off the dead and slapped her helmet back into place. The rest of them were restocking from the dead. Swapping out plasma rifles for orc rifles if they were almost out of ammo.

“Where the fuck are we?”

“We’re not even on the same continent, brother.”

“Maybe I can help. Show me where we are? Yeah, That’s Porith. I know people there.”

“OK! Let’s find transports and get the hell outta here!”

It’s not that the rest of the war was a blur. Lenaga just didn’t like to think about it. She and her men helped the 509th with boarding actions on two more occasions over the following week. And then the Seventh Solarian fleet showed up. They destroyed what was left of the orc armada and jumped back home. Someone in the SMC apparently felt the orc invasion was affecting the peace talks.

The Luthiel Navy had been holding back to protect more strategic locations. They had been afraid the peace talks were a lure for them to open themselves up to a Solarian attack. But when the Seventh Fleet cleared the space around Luthiel. The Navy sent a one hundred ship fleet of their own to secure the area. The ships had been drafted from other fleets throughout the Kinship.

Without a navy to support them the orcs on the ground were policed up rather quickly. And soon everyone’s thoughts turned to recovery. The 509th and friends made their way back to Melloreth. The peace talks were going well. Soon there was to be a broadcast from the Secretary General of the Solarian Nations. The rumor was it was resolved. And The High Lord had generously allowed the Secretary to give the announcement.

That was why Lenaga found herself in her old room at her parents house with guests slowly filling the place. Her father had spent his time fighting the orcs with her mother and the rest of the town.

Lenaga sent another prayer of thanks to the Mother, Sersira that neither of them were dead. After losing John she wasn’t sure she could’ve taken that. She heard her room door open.

“Lenaga?” Daroon asked. She turned from the window where she was watching people arrive. Everyone was coming to listen to the Secretary. It looked like her father was hosting a hurling championship party. When she looked away she saw both Daroon and Cailhem walking toward her. “You alright?”

She gave a pained laugh. “Uhhhh.” She shook her head. “How are you two?”

“Good.” Daroom shrugged.

Cailhem nodded. “We brought our families to hear the announcement. They are downstairs if you want t…” He stopped talking as her expression seemed pained.

“There are a lot of people downstairs who want to see you.” Daroon commented. “Interrogator Reissole is downstairs with his wife.”

She sighed and looked out the window again. “...I do not have the -strength- to put on a brave face.”

“These are friends, Lenaga.” Cailhem stated. “They do not expect a brave face.”

She sighed again shaking her head. And then she saw it. A large civilian van was pulling into a field that used to be a pair of houses before the war. “Who is that?” She commented to herself.

Daroon and Cailhem stepped closer to the window.

At first she thought their black jackets and slacks marked them as Wardens. He heart sank a little when she thought she saw a yellow man on a few of their left shoulders. But when they donned maroon berets as they began to walk toward the house, “Sons of bitches.” There was a few more than twenty.

“You still want to stay in your room?” Daroon asked.

“Oh, shut up.” She said as she walked out.

Lenaga made her greetings to all of her friends and family and her friends families. The 509th had made their way in to the house and Maviel was helping them with the huge amount of introductions. Lenaga discovered they came because they had word the Secretary planned to play a video of John. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. It seemed to soon but her father announced the speech would start soon.

Everyone filed out into the backyard. Her father had setup a large viewer so all of their party could see and hear it clearly. The nameless planet where the war had started had been named, “LuthielSol.” A large meeting house had been set up there as a neutral place for both peoples to discuss the possible peace. This was the location of the Secretary General’s speech and the High Lords speech to follow.

She took a seat near the front as he father shushed everyone.

She watched the screen as the Secretary was announced and took the podium. He gave the usual overthought thanks to those present and watching before starting. “I would like to begin with what everyone is most concerned about.” He looked to the High Lord who sat in a chair behind and to his right. “The High Lord of Luthiel has graciously allowed me to announce, the war is over.”

Lenaga could barely hear the cheers of those on LuthielSol due to the loud cheers of those around her. She smiled for the first time in weeks.

He mentioned receiving a message from Johnathan Blackwell. He explained why John’s opinion mattered to him. How his unit of mercenaries had brought the Solarians many victory’s in the war. And then he played the video.

Lenga felt her chest tighten as the screen was filled with John’s bust.

“Mr. Secretary General, I hope this message finds you doing well. We have a situation on Luthiel. At present the peace talks between our people is still a week away. But the Luthiel system has been invaded by the Kuru. You should have plenty of information on these people. My unit alone has sent you copious amounts of data that we stole from the elves.”

“The surprise attack has eliminated the Luthiel home fleet. And they have destroyed the communications system for the Elves. I doubt that will last for long though.”

“There are several options before you. I do not recommend most of them. The -first- would be to break the truce and press the elves. With the Kuru attacking we will defeat them but then we will roll right into a war with the Kuru. They are not as ingenious as the elves but they are a tough people. I expect the war to finish off the Luthiel would take a year at least, The war to defeat the Kuru that follows,” He shrugged. “God only knows.”

“The -second- option is to stay out of it. But if the Kuru win, then it is just a matter of time before we are at war with them. And if they lose, it is just a matter of time before the Luthiel think we were behind the invasion in the first place. The timing is suspicious and we HAVE been riling up the Morindi so it’s not the first time we’ve done this sort of thing. So that would mean more war.”

“Now the third…” He nodded. “Have Admiral Carpender and the seventh fold into Luthiel space, kick the Kuru’s teeth in and fold back home. That will solidify the Luthiel belief that we -do- want peace. This is my suggestion. Good bye.”

With that he nodded and the screen went black. Lenaga didn’t really listen to the rest of the speeches. However, everyone else’s attention was on the speeches so she had the time to quietly indulge in her heartache.

“Mid Warden Dloc?” She looked up to see Former Mid Warden of Melloreth Guisal Lon taking a chair next to her. “How are you holding up?”

She gave a pained laugh. “Why does everyone ask that? Do you really expect me to smile and “I - couldn’t - be - better!” She ended with a large fake smile.

Guisal laughed, which took her back some. “I am sorry.” He smiled. “I remember the early days after my wife passed.” His smile softened. “They ask it because they have nothing more soothing to offer.” She nodded. “I ask it because I need to know if you are ready to resume your duties.”

She frowned. “Why would you care?” She asked rather harshly.

He smiled. “Because I am your boss…” He saw the surpronfused look on her face and smiled again. “...and I very much want you to stay.”

“How did…” She was shaking her head.

“Your father.” He nodded. “Completely without my knowledge, OR PERMISSION, he spoke to the other Mid Wardens. The High Warden died in the initial attack. They thought because of my experience that I was the best candidate for the job. So…” He shrugged.

“Ah.” She nodded. “Uh, congratulations.” He nodded. “And yes. I guess I am ready.”

“Good! Then I will see you and your men bright and early tomorrow.”

“Of course.” She commented as he stood to leave. “Wait! Where? The tower was destroyed.”

He nodded and smiled. “I had the Navy bring down a Kuru cargo ship and lay it in the courtyard of the old Tower. We will use that until the building is redone.”

“Sounds fine.” She smiled before he walked away.

Eventually she became tired of her own thoughts. She could hear her father laughing from just outside the house. As she approached the rather large group she could see her team and parents talking with a few of the 509th. Her father had just asked… It took her a moment to remember his name. ‘Polecat.’ He had been in Solaria when the orcs invaded but he was the man who took command of the unit after…

She shook it off and kept walking.

“We will see you again?” Her father asked him.

Polecat nodded. “We’re kinda like domesticated wolverines. We turn up every few months.” He smiled.

“What is next for you?” She heard herself ask.

Polecat smiled at her just realizing she was there. “Well we’ve been in talks with the Silwan family to distribute their straps to the Solarian Nations.” Lenny looked surprised. “It was John’s idea.” She laughed in surprise. He nodded. “-Then- we buy all the coffee we can and bring it back to the Luthiel.”

That got a round of applause from those enlightened Luthiel who knew.

She thought John would’ve liked that. But Linaga’s laughter didn’t get away from her…

Until her mother asked, “What is coffee?”

She got control of herself in time to see the relieved looks on the faces of those around her. “I am Sorry.” She smiled. “I could just picture Mother’s face when she has her first sip.” She looked at Polecat. “No more mercenary work for the 509th then?”

“Welllllll, I didn’t say that.” He smiled. “We just got a big contract from the “High Warden of Luthiel.” He said theatrically as the High Warden inclined his head in acknowledgement. “To hunt down one “Halsin Vaah.” As a matter of fact, we were looking for a knowledgeable Mid Warden and her team to tag along and act as liaison.”

She looked dubiously at all of those present who seemed to be smiling innocently at her.

“You wouldn’t happen to know of someone. Would you?” She smirked in reply to this question but he continued. “Someone familiar with Halsin… Familiar with how the 509th operates… ‘Preferably’ someone who has worked with us… in the… past?”

“Why do I feel you all have discussed this without me?”

“I should hope you do not feel that way.” Commented the High Warden. She gave a disbelieving nod. “We practiced so hard to make it sound otherwise.” He nodded sagely.

She laughed and looked to her team who seemed to be nodding their agreement. So with a surrendering shake of her head she asked, “When do we leave?”

The End