The Silka
Chapter Twenty Three
Malachi had waited until Carmine was out of even vampire ear shot before he said anything. Then all he'd said was 'I'm going with you' and kept on saying it until she gave up, snuffling her nose in his hair. He put his arms around her neck, his face against it and felt something ease inside of him.
Now here he was, millions of years away from that moment. He slid off her back and rubbed her nose. "Have fun," he said with a grin.
She snorted. "They're in there," she said and took off, leaving him alone.
He settled the sword at his hip and went inside the building she'd indicated, flushing slightly as everyone looked.
"Mal," Dinah said, gesturing him over. "You came with Briony?"
"Yes. She's gone to find Kalie. I'm hoping I can help."
Marc smiled. "Welcome. Like old home week. Everyone this is Malachi'Maelcom. You folks can all introduce yourselves. You'd best be sure to check in in Lev. He's the guy herding cats, er dragons, and planning strategy with me. I think he's busy at the moment though."
"With all the dragons here? I'm sure he is," Mal said. "I'll go see if I can find him and stop interrupting."
"We'll see you at dinner," Dinah said. After the door closed behind him she shared a glance with Marc. "I wonder what he said to her to make her bring him? She's the only one who has."
"I don't know. But whatever it was it obviously worked."
"So," McGee said. "You have a plan?"
"I always have a plan," Marc replied with a grin. "But you know the Star Lords better than I do, so I want you to review it with me and make sure there isn't something I'm missing."
"I'm at your service," McGee said, getting comfortable.
Dinah sat back and grinned, looking at the other members of the war council. Christopher lounging in a chair, but with his father's grasp of strategy and tactics. Zaf quieter since the night in the cavern, but still flippant. Lez missing, but with the dragons, Laz and Paul there.
Their own twins, along with Lily and Logan and Drianna lounged nearby, connected to Christopher through their unique bond, so free from close attention.
"Zaf, explain this to me," Marc asked, and he, Zaf and McGee began a technical discussion that Ingev, having come in to get something to eat decided to sit in on. Ingev, always connected mentally to Aaru and through her to Ther'lin, had some unique perspectives and the plan began to grow and evolve. As it did so Marc and Christopher began designing the metaconcert that would make it all work.
"The master linkages, of the indivdual groups is going to be tricky...the dragons, the ships, us..." Christopher said.
"No. I'll be in the control position. I've got enough wattage to finesse it," Marc replied.
"How many close combat fighters do you have on Aaru?" McGee asked suddenly.
"Five. Any on Ther'lin?" Ingev asked.
"The same. Christopher? On Kella?" McGee asked
Christopher grinned. "Six. We each wanted one.".
McGee nodded. "I think we run a few attacks of our own over the next two, three days, the CCF's and the dragons, to keep their heads down and to give us a chance to make sure the kinks are out. And, I think, if we do that, after the last one, within minutes of it, we launch the real attack, maybe."
"Ing, you and McGee coordinate on a plan. Go over it with Lev so his dragon phalaxes won't get in the way of the fighters and vice versa. How many combat experienced pilots we got?" Marc asked.
Three hands went up. Ing, McGee and Zaf.
"Natha, Laz, and I all fly," Paul said. "And Lev, too, I think. We've never used these fighters before. What about the Darrochs? Or Chola? Or the guild and the Margassans?"
"Yeah, Chola knows them. I'm thinking the Darrochs will too. Paxx for sure. Are they coming?" Ingev asked.
"We think so, we're expecting them any day now. We asked Paxx to talk to the Margassans," Dinah said.
"Good we can manage a good showing then and with the dragons we'll make them think twice," Ing said. "Christopher how about you guys bring yours on planet. I'm going to want to run checks on their electronics and weapons systems, just to make sure they're 100 percent."
"Sure, we can ferry them down for you," he said, glancing at his siblings.
"Are you kids any good at flyin' 'em?" Ing asked.
"Pretty good," Logan said. "We've spent a lot of time in them."
"Okay, I'll put you through the paces, Ing said with a grin. "We can use extra pilots and keep those birds up in the air longer that way."
"Sure," Brenna said. "We'd be glad to help however we can."
Dinah started to say something and then stopped, biting her lip. "Okay," she finally settled for. "What else?"
Christopher looked at Marc. "Drianna's almost as good as me, and if we use her we can split the load and have more possiblities," he said.
"We'll run a sim," Marc explained. "I'm gonna need to get inside all you kids heads so I can see where to fit you into the matrix best. But I'm going to need a backup for me. Just in case they manage to send a feedback burst at me. If I go down someone's going to have to take control and free every brain from the metaconcert before they get brain-burned too."
"Who are you thinking?" Christopher asked
"I blew up a mountain range in a metaconcert once. One woman came at me at just the right moment and brain-burned me. Without me controlling the mental array we lost several people in the metaconcert. Brains burned out permanently. I don't want it to happen again."
"Okay, makes sense. Who are you thinking of as back up?" Christopher asked.
"You."
Christopher nodded slowly. "Alright. We should practice that too."
"Definitely. I want you to know what to look for because you'll be watching my back when I'm too busy to see anything coming at me."
"Alright. "Whenever you're ready," he said.
Marc glanced over at Dinah's pale face. "Give me a few minutes and I'll join you."
"How about we bring the fighters down and then Drianna and I are all yours as it were?"
"Sounds like a plan," Marc agreed. He stood and held out his hand for Dinah. "Walk?"
"Sure," she said, taking his hand. "Thanks." She waited until they were outside, grateful for the reassurance of his hand in hers. "I'm not a very good actress I guess."
"You've got a built-in handicap being a redhead," he said quietly. "I appreciate you doing what you could to keep it in though."
"Yeah," she said. "I don't think any of them except Christopher realized, fortunately. An advantage to not being there I suppose."
He pulled her close to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I've been through this before. I know better what to look for now. And back then I didn't have anyone I could trust to watch my back. So try not to worry too much, okay?"
She turned into his arms, her cheek on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "I'll try," she said. "Try not to worry about me, okay? It's a distraction you don't need."
"Yeah. Don't I know it. I won't be able to look away for an instant. That's why I need Chris. I'm not happy about putting him in that exposed a position but he's the best qualified."
"We know we live to set us up to do this," she said, reminding herself.
"So it would seem," he agreed.
"I love you."
"You're my heart."
"I know," she whispered and kissed him.
Now here he was, millions of years away from that moment. He slid off her back and rubbed her nose. "Have fun," he said with a grin.
She snorted. "They're in there," she said and took off, leaving him alone.
He settled the sword at his hip and went inside the building she'd indicated, flushing slightly as everyone looked.
"Mal," Dinah said, gesturing him over. "You came with Briony?"
"Yes. She's gone to find Kalie. I'm hoping I can help."
Marc smiled. "Welcome. Like old home week. Everyone this is Malachi'Maelcom. You folks can all introduce yourselves. You'd best be sure to check in in Lev. He's the guy herding cats, er dragons, and planning strategy with me. I think he's busy at the moment though."
"With all the dragons here? I'm sure he is," Mal said. "I'll go see if I can find him and stop interrupting."
"We'll see you at dinner," Dinah said. After the door closed behind him she shared a glance with Marc. "I wonder what he said to her to make her bring him? She's the only one who has."
"I don't know. But whatever it was it obviously worked."
"So," McGee said. "You have a plan?"
"I always have a plan," Marc replied with a grin. "But you know the Star Lords better than I do, so I want you to review it with me and make sure there isn't something I'm missing."
"I'm at your service," McGee said, getting comfortable.
Dinah sat back and grinned, looking at the other members of the war council. Christopher lounging in a chair, but with his father's grasp of strategy and tactics. Zaf quieter since the night in the cavern, but still flippant. Lez missing, but with the dragons, Laz and Paul there.
Their own twins, along with Lily and Logan and Drianna lounged nearby, connected to Christopher through their unique bond, so free from close attention.
"Zaf, explain this to me," Marc asked, and he, Zaf and McGee began a technical discussion that Ingev, having come in to get something to eat decided to sit in on. Ingev, always connected mentally to Aaru and through her to Ther'lin, had some unique perspectives and the plan began to grow and evolve. As it did so Marc and Christopher began designing the metaconcert that would make it all work.
"The master linkages, of the indivdual groups is going to be tricky...the dragons, the ships, us..." Christopher said.
"No. I'll be in the control position. I've got enough wattage to finesse it," Marc replied.
"How many close combat fighters do you have on Aaru?" McGee asked suddenly.
"Five. Any on Ther'lin?" Ingev asked.
"The same. Christopher? On Kella?" McGee asked
Christopher grinned. "Six. We each wanted one.".
McGee nodded. "I think we run a few attacks of our own over the next two, three days, the CCF's and the dragons, to keep their heads down and to give us a chance to make sure the kinks are out. And, I think, if we do that, after the last one, within minutes of it, we launch the real attack, maybe."
"Ing, you and McGee coordinate on a plan. Go over it with Lev so his dragon phalaxes won't get in the way of the fighters and vice versa. How many combat experienced pilots we got?" Marc asked.
Three hands went up. Ing, McGee and Zaf.
"Natha, Laz, and I all fly," Paul said. "And Lev, too, I think. We've never used these fighters before. What about the Darrochs? Or Chola? Or the guild and the Margassans?"
"Yeah, Chola knows them. I'm thinking the Darrochs will too. Paxx for sure. Are they coming?" Ingev asked.
"We think so, we're expecting them any day now. We asked Paxx to talk to the Margassans," Dinah said.
"Good we can manage a good showing then and with the dragons we'll make them think twice," Ing said. "Christopher how about you guys bring yours on planet. I'm going to want to run checks on their electronics and weapons systems, just to make sure they're 100 percent."
"Sure, we can ferry them down for you," he said, glancing at his siblings.
"Are you kids any good at flyin' 'em?" Ing asked.
"Pretty good," Logan said. "We've spent a lot of time in them."
"Okay, I'll put you through the paces, Ing said with a grin. "We can use extra pilots and keep those birds up in the air longer that way."
"Sure," Brenna said. "We'd be glad to help however we can."
Dinah started to say something and then stopped, biting her lip. "Okay," she finally settled for. "What else?"
Christopher looked at Marc. "Drianna's almost as good as me, and if we use her we can split the load and have more possiblities," he said.
"We'll run a sim," Marc explained. "I'm gonna need to get inside all you kids heads so I can see where to fit you into the matrix best. But I'm going to need a backup for me. Just in case they manage to send a feedback burst at me. If I go down someone's going to have to take control and free every brain from the metaconcert before they get brain-burned too."
"Who are you thinking?" Christopher asked
"I blew up a mountain range in a metaconcert once. One woman came at me at just the right moment and brain-burned me. Without me controlling the mental array we lost several people in the metaconcert. Brains burned out permanently. I don't want it to happen again."
"Okay, makes sense. Who are you thinking of as back up?" Christopher asked.
"You."
Christopher nodded slowly. "Alright. We should practice that too."
"Definitely. I want you to know what to look for because you'll be watching my back when I'm too busy to see anything coming at me."
"Alright. "Whenever you're ready," he said.
Marc glanced over at Dinah's pale face. "Give me a few minutes and I'll join you."
"How about we bring the fighters down and then Drianna and I are all yours as it were?"
"Sounds like a plan," Marc agreed. He stood and held out his hand for Dinah. "Walk?"
"Sure," she said, taking his hand. "Thanks." She waited until they were outside, grateful for the reassurance of his hand in hers. "I'm not a very good actress I guess."
"You've got a built-in handicap being a redhead," he said quietly. "I appreciate you doing what you could to keep it in though."
"Yeah," she said. "I don't think any of them except Christopher realized, fortunately. An advantage to not being there I suppose."
He pulled her close to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I've been through this before. I know better what to look for now. And back then I didn't have anyone I could trust to watch my back. So try not to worry too much, okay?"
She turned into his arms, her cheek on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. "I'll try," she said. "Try not to worry about me, okay? It's a distraction you don't need."
"Yeah. Don't I know it. I won't be able to look away for an instant. That's why I need Chris. I'm not happy about putting him in that exposed a position but he's the best qualified."
"We know we live to set us up to do this," she said, reminding herself.
"So it would seem," he agreed.
"I love you."
"You're my heart."
"I know," she whispered and kissed him.
