ROAN PLATEAU
"I have determined that all of our people, with a few exceptions were killed in this clearing Milady." Tomea told her. "We discovered drag marks that had been covered up, but due to no rain for several days, once we removed the top layer of leaves, they were easy to discern. The exceptions were the patrol guards Milady. They were killed with 6.7mm rounds, the same as the High Elves weapons, but the bullet strikes were careless and random."
"Random?" Walter asked.
"We have known for some time that the High Elves have been running low on ammunition for their weapons." Tomea spoke. "The human settlements will only accept elf slaves in exchange for ammunition, and that is something Queen Tarifa will not barter. They have learned to become precise and absolutely perfect shots with their weapons. High Elves would not shoot a target fifteen times, as one of the guards was hit."
Dysea lifted her tea as she listened in silence. "Go on Tomea." She spoke.
"The one other thing that I found is quite possibly the most important Milady." Tomea said. "I took shavings from the stumps that were found to dismember our people. In the shavings I found shards of metal. As you know, all High Elf bladed weapons are forged with a titanium/iron alloy. Their weapons are extremely sharp and rarely lose an edge, since they are refined with lasers, and they are almost impossible to break."
"Their blades would not leave shavings." Leland spoke from where he stood against the wall. "I have used High Elf blades Milady; they are perfect in every way. We have even begun to retool our own Smiths to use their process."
Tomea nodded. "Leland is correct my Queen. The composition of the steel consisted of aluminum and nickel. This act was not committed by High Elves Milady. Someone else attacked this village and attempted to make it look like Tarifa's forces. They did an outstanding job of it as well, which means they were well trained, but they expected rain to wash away most of the evidence before anyone discovered what they did."
"And the Council directed that only the bodies were to be recovered." Dysea said softly. She looked at the Holy One for a long moment. "Thank you Tomea. Continue gathering any evidence you can, and catalog all of your findings."
Tomea bowed her head, "As you order Milady."
Dysea watched her leave the small home and then turned to where Walter sat. "The Council knew!" She hissed.
"We don't know that Dysea." Walter spoke.
"There is no other explanation. Why order that only the bodies be recovered? Why not investigate the scene as we have done?" Dysea's emotions were coming to the surface, and Walter knew that of the two Queens, Dysea was the more emotional one, at least when it came to anger. "There is something else at work here Holy One. I can feel it."
"That is the answer we must discover." Walter spoke.
Dysea looked at Leland. "Where was the last attack prior to this one Leland?" She asked.
"It was three weeks ago just north of Jackson Wyoming Milady." He answered almost immediately. "It was on the very edge of High Elf territory. It was nearly identical to this attack Dysea, in every way."
"Where is our nearest storage site with Hoppers?" She asked.
"There are three captured Hoppers at our site in Grand Junction." Leland replied.
"Contact them. I want one of the Hoppers here in the morning to pick up half our party. Tomea will accompany us. The others will return to the Compound and say nothing to no one about where they have been." Dysea spoke.
Leland nodded. "We will be going very close to High Elf territory Dysea. Is that wise?"
"What are you thinking Dysea?" Walter asked.
"I want to investigate one more site where our people were butchered." She told him. "Now that Tomea knows what to look for, we can do so quickly and spend as little time as needed so close to High Elf territory."
"Then what will you do?" Walter asked.
"I intend to find out who is behind these attacks and why they are pitting us against Tarifa's forces Holy One. And I want to know who on the Council knows what is going on." Dysea answered. "For when I discover them, I will personally flay them until they are on the verge of death before I give them to the elements."
They turned as Leland motioned the young elf into the home. "It is another transmission from our spy in the capital Milady." He spoke holding out the pad.
Dysea read the pad before handing it to Leland and looking at Walter. "Our spy has discovered that there has been some sort of coup on this EDEN base. Commander Hunter escaped with almost two thousand men and women. He is now wanted by the Alliance for the brutal murders of this Senator Graham's son and nine other men. Apparently Tarifa was with him, and their ships were last detected entering the atmosphere before they were lost."
"Wanted by the Alliance?" Walter asked.
Dysea nodded. "According to this, the Alliance has open negotiations with this Senator Graham and they have established a temporary treaty. Commander Hunter and the genomes are wanted alive, as well as Tarifa and a dozen elves that were with her. If they were lost entering the atmosphere…"
Walter shook his head. "They deactivated their transponders so they could not be tracked." Walter told her. "Martin and those with him are not fools. They are all combat experienced men and women, forged in some of the most vile hell holes of the time they came from. What you and the other elves have seen pales in comparison Dysea. We should try to contact him."
"Holy One we don't even know where they are." Leland spoke.
Walter nodded. "Yes I know, but we should use some assets that we do have to try and discover his location."
"I will direct two technicians to begin monitoring all unused communications traffic, but until we know what is happening here, I can spare no more." Dysea spoke.
Walter nodded. "Direct them to scan the low band frequencies Dysea." He told her. "If Martin communicates with anyone, it will be very low band and highly encrypted."
Dysea looked at Leland and nodded. He returned the nod and headed out of the home. She returned her gaze to Walter. "Can he help us Holy One?" She asked.
"We need to find him first." Walter spoke.
SALMON RIVER MOUNTAINS
HIGH ELVES RULING CAPITAL
MOUNTAIN CITY
Two days later
"…have to tell me sister!" The dark haired female elf spoke as she waited for Tarifa to come out of the adjoining room where she was drying off her body from the steaming spring shower. "The rumors are spreading like wildfire through the entire city. They've even reached as far as Pacifica."
Tarifa stepped out of the shower room, her sapphire eyes wide. "Pacifica!" She gasped, holding the towel around her body and gazing at her younger sister. "You jest!"
Tarifa's youngest sister Zaala shook her head, her dark eyes bright and animate. That they were related was easy to determine as Zaala had the same hair and figure of her older sister, with the same facial features and contours. "It is the truth!" Zaala exclaimed.
"What are they saying?" Tarifa asked as she began to dress.
"That you were saved twice by a man who is half Wolf, and who came from the moon. That he is nine feet tall, and that he claimed you for his own." Zaala spoke. "Even mother and father are coming from Salem to get the real story."
"No!" Tarifa spoke looking at her sister.
Zaala nodded. "It is the talk of our people. You will not be able to deny it for long. Too many of those who were with you have spoken about it."
Tarifa sat on the edge of the bed next to her sister. "What have they said Zaala?" She asked softly.
"That this man and the people with him are different." Zaala replied. "That they are even older than the Elders, and they sheltered you and the others. Rescued you and returned you to us." Zaala looked at her sister. "They say he looks at you with unabashed love and desire in his eyes, and that he killed nine men in seconds to save your life. That he wiped out a full squad of Alliance Assassins as if they were children. They… they…"
"What?" Tarifa asked.
"They also say they heard you screaming out his name in passion." Zaala told her.
Tarifa blushed quickly even under her dark tan and she looked away from her sister, her hand going to the silver medallion that Martin had given her. She had added a glittering silver chain to the medallion and had not taken it off since she had returned. Zaala saw this and smiled. "So it is true." She said. "Oh don't torture me sister. Tell me!"
Tarifa looked at her with a small smile. "They are called Genomes." She told her, taking her hands. "They were genetically engineered to be the finest soldiers in their time before the Great Fire. Martin and his team were feared by many for their skill and prowess."
"His name is Martin?" Zaala said smiling. "Tell me of him Tarifa. Did he make you scream his name in passion?"
Tarifa grinned. "You have a one track mind Zaala."
"I've never screamed any man's name in passion." Zaala told her. "Most of the elves I've bedded were terrible lovers anyway."
"Zaala you are so bad!" Tarifa exclaimed.
"Don't change the subject sister!" She said with a smile. "Tell me! Is he very large?" She asked with wide eyes.
Tarifa smiled and shook her head. "He is not nine feet tall." She said. "I'd say he stands about six foot two or six foot three. He is…"
"That is not what I meant Tarifa!" Zaala spoke, playfully grabbing her hand.
Tarifa looked at her with a girlish smile and she lifted her hands palms facing towards each other until they were about a foot apart. "He is this big." Tarifa said.
Zaala's eyes grew wide. "Tarifa now you are jesting with me!" She looked at her sister. "Aren't you?"
Tarifa shook her head slowly and with a dreamy smile as the memories of what Martin's cock had made her feel caused her skin to feel warm. "He is so thick Zaala. I thought I was going to split apart."
"It did not hurt?" Zaala asked amazed.
Tarifa shook her head quickly. "He… it…"
"What sister? Tell me!" Zaala asked urgently.
"He kissed me Zaala!" Tarifa said.
"Kissed you? That is all?"
"Zaala… I… I have never kissed a man." Tarifa told her. "It was so powerful, so passionate. He… he possessed me with his kisses." She looked at her sister. "He also… he used his lips and tongue… on my…"
Zaala's eyes grew even wider. "He licked you? Down there?"
"Zaala I was so wet when he finally entered me… all I felt was this blissful sensation as he filled me completely." Tarifa told her. "It was divine."
"He didn't force you?"
"No!" Tarifa told her. "Zaala I wanted him from the first moment I saw him. When I look at him, it is almost as if I need him to live. When I was wrapped in his arms I never felt more loved and protected. He refused to even allow me to clean him. When he caresses my skin he ignites fires within me that I am powerless to control, fires that only he can extinguish."
Zaala held up her hand. "Enough!" She spat with a smile. "I hate you! Does he have a brother?"
Tarifa laughed and squeezed her sister's hands. "You are so bad!"
"You must know that mother and father will demand to meet him Tarifa." Zaala said. "He is the first man to share your bed that they have not approved."
"I am a hundred and twenty-seven years old." Tarifa said. "I can decide for myself who shares my bed and who doesn't. Martin will share my bed as often as he likes, at least until the time fate takes us in different directions."
Zaala looked at her. "What do you mean sister?"
Tarifa looked at her. "He is different Zaala." She replied softly. "There is a beast inside him, a beast desiring to get out. I do not think… I do not think even he knows who and what he truly is."
"How can he not know what he is?" Zaala asked.
Tarifa looked at her sister. "I saw him change into something up there that was fearful and frightening Zaala, yet it is something he controls with his will alone. I do not know if the others with him besides the ones I saw can do this as well, but something inside me tells me I did not see everything."
"Yet you let him have you?" Zaala spoke. "Why?"
Tarifa smiled. "Because he is very handsome… and I wanted to." She replied. "That is usually how it is done."
Zaala's face turned serious. "There are some on the Council that are not happy you led them here and allowed them to remain in the next valley."
Tarifa nodded as she took the dress and started to pull it on over her naked skin. "Those humans among his group are not like any we have ever met." She said. "They accepted us without question and helped us to escape imprisonment and worse. They come from an age where slavery was not allowed, and it disgusts them that humans have resorted to it once more. Elves existed only in their legends and myths, so it is understandable that they view us with curiosity, but many of them have known Martin for years and they seem to expect the unexpected."
"What will you tell the Council?"
"That Martin and those with him could be powerful allies in our war with the Alliance." Tarifa said. "And we should make every effort to see that we extend to them the hand of friendship."
"Do you think they will listen to you?" Zaala asked.
Tarifa looked at her. "We shall see."