Colliding Worlds

[Silence]

Unfortunately part of training Kalizda meant that she would be taking on the same schedule as himself and his men. If she wasn't quite up to the hours that they kept she would have to get more stamina. There was enough time to recover from the drinking and have a little relaxation and Illya had heard from Yvonne that Kalizda was ready to start. Illya refused the tea because when they were training he didn't have time to sleep like that. Only half hour after he got up he started to make his rounds to get the men up. Ending at his little bedroom he nudged Kalizda's foot gently. "Time ta get up. Training."

"Mmm..." Calysta curled into the blanket at the gentle touch on her foot before hearing Illya tell her it was time for training. It was just like Skycorp with the early mornings it and there might be a reprimand if she wasnt up and moving by a certain time. Stretching back out, she tossed the covers off and sat up slowly, trying to get her thoughts together. "Rose taken care of? What gear do I need?" The words came out in a mumble of Qouti as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"Rose es wit meh mum. I take her over dere already." Illya answered the question about Rose first and then shoved a backpack toward Kalizda. "Yah gear and now yah take care of et. I can't keep et every night eh?" Though he was serious a slight grin came to his face. He would be in the same tent as her most of the time and he could probably help her, but he couldn't give her too much favor because it would only create more danger for her in the long run.

Calysta shot him a bit of a look and picked up the backpack. It was heavy, but not unmanageable. She had her own gear for her former job and she wasn't sure why Illya thought she couldn't take care of at least the ones that were familiar to her, on her own. "I don't think you'll have to," she replied with a small but of playfulness in her voice. Calysta tugged on her leggings and grey tunic along with her work boots, then pulled her long black hair into a pony tail. As she pulled the pack on to her shoulders, she looked up to Illya with a small smile. It had taken her only 3 minutes to get ready and now she would be going into his world now, what he knew best. "I'm ready when you are, General.

The fact that she fell in so easily was both pleasing and a little disgruntling. Illya flashed her a crooked smile and grunted, "Alright den, get moving." He waited for her to step out and then went on with his pace. A few of the men were ahead of them and the others fell in behind. Most of them gave her a friendly smile. They all knew what her part would be and it was good to have a complete team again.

Calysta took two steps for every one of his, but she managed to keep a pace just behind his. The men were starting to gather up and most of them seemed happy to see her, giving her warm smiles. She returned them and even gave a few waves to some of the men who she knew better. Ehvan ended up walking beside her and she gave him a smile. "Good morning." She had no idea where they were headed but was determined to keep up with the rest of them no matter what it took. Her prior training had been tough, and she knew what it meant to have superior officers . This would be similar if not close to the same scenario. They gathered outside the moon shadow door as the sky light hydraulics groaned open and Calysta waited behind Illya for instruction.

At first the men paused only long enough for the moon shadow to open and then Illya set the usual jogging pace into the forest. There would be only stamina training for the day and that was going to be a long march with intermittent jogs. One of the men silently gave her a nod and they took formation around Kalizda. She was going to be learning to stay in the middle and keep pace. When she couldn't keep pace it would be up to them to take up either side and drag her along when they had to.

Apparently there was to be no instruction. When Calysta thought about who she was working beside, the surprise of no orders made sense. Illya would just assume she would follow suit. She was adaptable enough to follow the others and watch carefully for a change in expectation at least. You had to be if you were a scout for Skycorp. A silent nod was exchanged between Ehvan and a few others, and suddenly she found herself stuck in the middle of a pack as they moved forward, ushering into a jog. The move was a little unsettling at first because she was used to being out front, not tucked away in the middle. Maybe this wasn't exactly like Sky Corp training after all. She started to jog with the pack strapped over her shoulders. The first mile was easy, but she had to work her pace twice as hard to keep up with the long legged men, it was making her break into a sweat already. Then came the second towards another steep incline started.

Part way into the run Illya signaled silently with on hand just barely showing over his shoulder and the men split off. One of them grabbed Kalizda and pulled her toward himself. Illya glanced back at Kalizda and gave her and the men a short nod. She would start catching onto the signals soon enough. Ducking into the underbrush Illya kept the pace running and he would turn sharply every now and then. They were running evasion and eventually he would either outrun them through the forest during the day or they would have a fire fight with their weapons loaded. It was just a simple pellet with a marker to show the accuracy if they met up.

Calysta gasped a little as she was suddenly jerked to the side by Ehvan and the men started to split off into two groups. She hadn't heard an order given by Illya, and being in the middle meant he was hard to see over the tall Chip soldiers, so if there had been a signal it was lost to her. Now, that the soldiers were splitting through, Calysta caught a glimpse of him giving her and Ehvan a nod. The Chip nodded back and started hauling her off in the opposite direction Illya was headed. It seemed like this was to be more than just PT and included a exercise. "We're breaking into teams? What's the goal?" she asked Ehvan as she was ushered into a run up the hill. They seemed to be pushing her into an even faster pace and she had to push just to keep up.

The Chip looked at her a bit incredulously at first. "He gave us signal to take high ground and den wait." There wasn't really supposed to be talking and he held a finger over his lips. In a hushed tone he continued. "Yah learn sign language and we only talk wit sign language when time for decision and orders." Pushing her up the hill with himself he kept on moving. They all knew what they were doing given the few short signals. It was just that way and they knew to always keep an eye out. Illya would change pace slightly if he was going to give an order and other than that the men always kept their eyes peeled. One drill would be enough for her to know what it looked like and then ask questions. Only a few seconds later a squealch came through the earbuds and they knew Illya was on his way back. When he came to the group he signaled for them to follow and they quickly ran behind him with Kalizda nearly flopping next to Ehvan this time.

Calysta sighed a little at having missed the first signal. It made sense to use hand signals when running a quiet operation, but it would have been nice if Illya had run over them with her the night before. Instead, Ehvan was looking at her like she was crazy and shushing her. They waited at the top of the hill for a minute, giving her time to catch her breath and adjust the back pack on her shoulders which was growing heavier by now. Illya scaled the hill after them, then gave them a motion she did recognize. They were to keep moving and she set out, nearly haphazardly next to Ehvan and trying to watch for whatever signal's Illya might give now that she could see him better.

Before moving on Illya took a cloth. Leaning close to Kalizda he gave her a direct signal to tighten up with a small motion of his hand. Tightening up was to stay closer and just to be sure she understood he pulled her a little closer to himself and nodded. With that they started to run down into the heavily forested part of the land again. For most of the day they ran evasion from the other multiple teams that had split up. He needed to get himself, Kalizda, and Ehvan back to the rest of his groups and then they would start the hunt to take the flags from the other team. It was almost dark outside and they were still running when Illya stopped short and with a flick of his wrist he dropped to the ground as did the rest of his team. Tapping the one next to himself he nodded and he tapped the next and they all moved the signal down the line with the men rolling one way or another. Ehvan still kept Kalizda close to himself and he nodded to her and tapped then pointed with his two fingers which way they were rolling. All fell silent in the forest for several minutes. It was to be an ambush and all the men on the left were staying on the ground Ehvan knew that sending Kalizda up a tree after the whole day was not a good option yet. She was already looking tired. It was good Illya kept them on the ground. The men on the right climbed up the trees and waited in the thick foliage for the other half of the team. It was black outside and all the men put on their night vision goggles to continue waiting. After a long while they were rewarded with the other team moving slowly into the area. The men in the trees took up position to fire first and drop a man before sliding down the trees. At the first round of shots the men from the ground pulled off a round from their guns and whoever remained was promptly shot down with the markers as those in the trees slid down and flanked the other group while the ground men knelt in place and fired clearing shots.

It was near dark and they had been out all day, running what she had surmised was some sort of team evasion exercise. They had changed direction several times as if tracking and evading something, probably one of the other groups, and Calysta had to keep pace with them in the tight formation Illya had ordered. She stumbled a few times trying to keep up and every time, Ehvan would grab her by the backpack and haul her up to her feet. When they came to another brief halt and she saw Illya flick his wrist, but hesitated, unsure what he meant for her to do until she saw everyone dropping. Calysta fell to her stomach and waited for another signal. They must have been close to another group or their intended target. Ehvan tapped her on the shoulder and pointed before he started rolling away to the left, so she did the same. Her back pack caught on one of the thorn bushes, but she just kept rolling, letting it tear away and came to rest again beside Ehvan. It was hard to see everything in the dark and the Chip beside her put on goggles for night vision. She grabbed at her own and shoved them on to her head. Once they were on, she could see the greenish shapes of the other group coming into view. They were only there for a few seconds before her group made their move. First round struck from the trees and apparently they were meant to take the second round. Ehvan jumped up beside her, and fired in one smooth motion, but she was slower on the draw. Her body was tired and she hadn't been sure what was expected. Even though she was lbehind, she did draw her pistol looking for an unclaimed target, though it looked like most had been taken care of already.

**************************************************************

Ehud had noticed that Ayrn liked to play up the injury. It really didn't seem so severe. All the same he made sure the Terran saw the Ehaui and he was treated. If he really was the spy it was quite ingenious to pick him. Who would have thought that such a measly one eyed fella would make any sort of spy? Not to mention he had a constant attraction for women. The only other theory that Ehud had in regards to Ayrn was that maybe the attraction for the women was a sort of cover, but it seemed so genuine at the same time. He had spent over a hundred years of his life around people and by now he usually could tell if there was a womanizer around. Ayrn was just a little more difficult to read and perhaps it was because he knew he was a spy and spy's if they were good convincing almost anyone of their role. "I'll show you where to find Illya and you'll probably wait for a while to find him." Pointing in a general direction he got Ayrn started. "We're going South-East from here."

The two of them got outside and Ayrn started to ask about a woman. A smirk began to grow on his face while the man did his best to attempt to describe the woman he was looking for. While Ehud knew exactly who it was the woman would approach him if she was interested. Otherwise it would be up to Ayrn to find her and so far he was fairly helpless if he couldn't figure that out for himself.

While it was tempting to let the man wander about looking for the woman Ehud knew she could take care of herself if Ayrn misbehaved or proved to be the womanizer that Ehud thought he might be. "That's not South-East." Mumbling a little he nudged Ayrn the other direction. "Now..." Chuckling a little he glanced at Ayrn. "The woman you happened to be looking for is quite the catch. That pretty one with the blonde hair and the blue eyes." It was almost impossible to contain his laughter at that description. Walking along in the usual path Ehud slowed a bit when he noticed that Ayrn was a bit slower. "Her name is Tabit, the woman you helped." Ehud's smirk got bigger. "Just beware that she is a very strong woman." When Ehud spoke of strong he wasn't sure that Ayrn knew how strong. It wasn't just a mind thing. Tabit was one of the young Chippequoti that had joined the forces with enthusiasm and she was unusually strong for a Chippequoti woman. One that he wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to move into the elite forces. It would take some time, but he was wondering if she would make it there. Certainly had the stamina and strength to do it. She was also quite strong in her opinions and wouldn't likely tolerate Ayrn's behavior.

They barely arrived at the next moon shadow and Ehud noticed that it was unusually quiet. "I leave you here. It looks like they are training." Resting a hand on Ayrn's shoulder he nodded to him. "Could be a very long time and I want to go back to Haza." Lifting his hand from Ayrn's shoulder he started out the door. If he had the man figured out right it was going to annoy him greatly to have learned the woman's name and be stuck here for hours and possibly all night and most of tomorrow. Still it was funny in its own way. Everyone had disappointments in life and this was a minor one, that Ehud was all too happy to see because it was funny.

*******************************************************

Even though Illya wanted to take Kalizda's pack for her he knew that he couldn't. She had to carry the pack all this week and then next week he would be adding the body armor for her. She needed some armor and he and the men were wearing theirs today. Part of the delay on Kalizda's was getting something small enough. She was so tiny that they had to get something custom made for her from the Ehaui. Tomorrow he would take her to get measured and then go over the questions she had and teach her a little more in depth and take a slower day with her while the men ran drills.

Once they reached the moon shadow Illya held onto the back strap of her pack and lifted it slightly to take the weight off her shoulders. Now that they were officially done he could try and take care of her as best he could. It was late enough that Illya was going to leave Rose with Yvonne and the girl would stay with her grandmother for a few days more than likely.

Ayrn looked like he had been waiting and had fallen asleep just inside the tent and Illya was going to leave him there. Walking with Kalizda around the tent he got her into the bedroom and then got changed and ready for bed. Kalizda offered his tea and he shook his head. "Nah, we train again." He didn't have time for that much sleep if he was going to get everything done that he needed. After she was ready for bed he got in with her and gently rubbed her back and wherever else he could reach to soothe her muscles. Sometimes it seemed that she was tightening up and he would try to get her to relax and then other times he would take his hand away just because it was hurting more than helping.

Once more he woke up only 4 hours later and this time got some food ready for Kalizda before waking her up. "Yah eat and I get meh men up eh?" Jogging out into the moon shadow he woke them up and had a small gathering to explain the drill and then said he would be staying behind with Kalizda for at least part of the day and then he would bring her in on a fast pace run to join the drill. When he returned to the room he nodded to her. "Get ready. I train yah mehself today."

She was ready fairly fast again though he could see she was sore. Taking her out to the small clearing just outside the moon shadow Illya started to explain all the signals and then started to give them in succession for her to follow. When she started to get most of them right he would speed up. While she was wearing her pack he had her drop to the ground and then jump and run to the right or left. Sometimes he pointed for her to engage target from behind. Illya knew that she wouldn't be able to keep track of them all in the first day, but she had the basics down and it was time for them to make a fast run for the group. He would be on evasion with part of it and then catch up for the other side. From there they were going to engage in another round of fights only this one was planned and they were meeting at the makeshift town. Houses would hide the other team and he would have to go in with Kalizda and his team to clear it. Trick was to get in and out with Kalizda and keeping her from getting hit.

 

[aryamajor]

By the end of the day, Calysta was exhausted. Her body wasn't out of shape, but she was not exactly in 'Chippeouti Special Operative' shape. The calves of her legs were sore but her arms were the worst. Running had been the easy part, she was used to that activity for the most part, but her upper body lacked the strength needed to be carrying such a heavy pack for over 12 hours without a break. Her shoulders and most of her back were tender to the touch. As they stepped inside the moon shadow, the bag over her back suddenly grew lighter. She glanced back to see Illya holding it up from behind, though she hadn't said a word of complaint. The loss of the added weight both hurt and felt better at the same time as her tight muscles under the straps began to uncoil. Once they made it back to their tent, she only half way noticed Ayrn was sitting near the tent flap, curled up with this head resting on his duffel. How he had managed to find them she didn't know but Aryn was funny like that. He always managed to slink his way back no matter how far he roamed.

Illya helped her take off her pack and she started to slide off her tunic when she remembered his tea. It would help him sleep longer and keep from tossing and turning with her all night. "I forgot I needed to make your tea. I'll go make it really fast." He shook his head. "Nah, we train again."

Calysta had expected training the next day, but was hoping Illya might take the tea to sleep. It didn't appear that he would drink it even if she poured it up for him, so she sat down on her bed and began undressing. By the time she rolled back into bed under the covers, it was obvious how sore she really was. Illya began rubbing his warm hands over her back and shoulders which was the worst of the tenderness. The warmth of his palm did help her loosen up and she started to drift into sleep. "Not too bad for a first day," she mumbled, as he rubbed. His thumb brushed over what was more of a bruise from the pack strap than muscle ache and she jumped a bit from the unexpected pain. Immediately his hand drew away and she sighed. "I'm alright. C'mere." She rolled over slowly and tucked in beside him as she guided his hand over her waist. As soon as she was cuddled down, Calysta's head dropped back and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

No sooner than Calysta had fallen asleep was she being woken for day two of training. At least that's the way it felt. At Illya's gentle mention of breakfast, she realized her stomach was horribly empty from going all day without food yesterday. "Mmm...food. Thank you, Illya." Crawling out of bed wasn't so bad, but raising her arms to pull on her tunic brought out the soreness she knew would be even worse the next day. The second day of training was always the hardest. You were sore from the first and had just enough sleep to become stiff and achy for the second round. She found he had made her oatmeal with some of the fruit and even left a bowl beside the still snoring Ayrn. How long was this guy going to sleep? She pulled out her info-pad to check the time and her eyes grew round. They had only slept for 4 hours! Today was going to be extra long now and while she could run on minimum sleep, she was not Illya in the way of energy. With a sigh, she glanced back at her bedroom doorway where her bed sat. She should have insisted on the coffee last night.

With the pack on her back, Illya pulled her into the grass and began showing her the different hand signals. Most of them were easy and when she learned by performing one, he stacked them in succession on top of one another. Soon she was performing commands in a split second by sight and only missing a few of them. Drop, roll, spring, run. Turn and engage. He would put them in different orders to trick her and it only worked the first time. On the last commands, she dropped to the ground with her heavy pack, then rolled in the grass before springing to her feet and turning to engage a target from behind. She did it all in one fluid motion but her hands were shaking as they clutched her pistol. It was the muscles in her arms and back that were tired from the pack and the constant movement.

Panting from the exercise, Calysta lowered her weapon and looked to Illya. It felt much better to have a handle on the signals but there was a problem that she was loathe to bring up. It needed to be said though because not doing so could get someone hurt or killed. "Signals are getting easier but I did run into a problem yesterday," she admitted. Her cheeks tinged pink and she gave Illya bit of a sheepish look. "I think I missed some of the signals yesterday entirely because I...I couldn't see you from the middle. I'm not tall."

It was obvious Illya hadn't thought of the problem and if Calysta was honest, neither had she until it became a problem. He nodded to her, as if he would give the problem more thought, then motioned her to start running with him.

They ran at an even fast pace through the trees and Calysta had to force her legs into longer strides, lengthening herself as she pushed onward behind Illya. Where normally she was quick and light, this was hard to do given she was weighted down with the pack. How did Illya do all of this being as heavy as he was? She followed along until he signaled her to drop and roll. She did as commanded and dropped to her bell instantly before rolling through the underbrush. He commanded her to wait for a moment, then to jump up. At this point her arms were exhausted and she pushed up only to collapse back into the leaves for a moment. Push! Ignoring whatever look Illya might be giving her, she forced her arms to work and hauled herself up before taking off into another fast pace at Illya's heels.

After what Calysta could only guess was an hour of running another evasion exercise, they were flanked by other Chippeqouti men. She hadn't even seen them hiding in the trees and the way they suddenly appeared was almost a bit unsettling.

Calysta slowed her pace as Illya and the other Chippeqouti they had teamed up with did. Ahead of them, she could see clearing with some sort of structures inside. The closer they jogged, the structures came into view and in front of them was a....town? They had small, mock village in the middle of the clearing. How was it that Chips worked so quickly? They had only been there less than two weeks and already they had an entire fake village for training purposes. It was a marvel and also made her feel a bit guilty for having been so fussy at Illya. She'd known he was busy, but she hadn't realized he'd been constructing entire training facilities. This was an area of special ops that her Skycorp training wouldn't help very much in. She was not a soldier and only knew basics on clearing rooms to keep her own self safe while scouting. Entire towns and teams were not her specialty at all. The adrenaline of anticipation for whatever lay waiting for them in the town started to pump through her and she took a settling breath. Adrenaline was good if it was controlled. Looking to Illya, she waited for his signal to move in whichever way he ordered.

They were coming close to the town and Illya halted while they were yet in the trees. Since they were far enough out he spoke quietly. "Igor yah take sniper position South." Directing one other man to take a sniper position Illya ordered Ehvan to take Kalizda as body guard. Potentially they were going to be trying to take her into these kinds of areas and they may not always be friendly or the Federation would try to ambush them. With the men up on the hill watching their back they should have a fairly decent run at it. Illya took the lead and he started slowly working his way through the hill. "Clear on West rooftops?" A voice came back through the earbud confirming it was clear. There weren't any windows facing them and that meant that they would have the best sort of chance of getting in from here. It also meant that the other side would try to funnel them with snipers into a trap. It was eerily quiet in the little made up town. Normally they would have had people in the town that were everyday citizens and that would create a different sort of atmosphere, but he needed Kalizda just to see this without the added stress of people just yet. "Intel says our target is here." Trying the knob on the door of a little house he pushed carefully and ducked to step inside. He made sure to have it all constructed similarly to what they would actually encounter. Standing just off to the side of the door he had Kalizda and the others stand next to the building, but approximately a foot away from it. When Ehvan noticed Kalizda lean against the wall he pulled her off of it and shook his head. Illya had gun ready and he stepped around the corner ready to fire. "Ok file in behind."

Calysta listened carefully as she gazed over the make shift town. It was quiet enough here that if there was movement, she might be able to hear it. Not all places they went into would be ghost towns but this was good practice for an operation. Illya motioned them forward to the side of one of the first houses and ordered them to pause just outside as he made the first sweep. She waited, swaying a little on her feet, mostly trying to find some relief for her shoulders. She hadn't realized she had leaned against the wooden side of the house, and Ehvan, who was staying close as s body guard, pulled her up right before shaking his head. Giving him an apologetic look, she silently scolded herself for the lack of discipline she normally would not have done on a little more sleep. When Illya whispered the order to file in, Calysta assumed she was meant to be taking part of the clearing team and pulled out her weapon, keeping it close before slipping into the room behind Ehvan. The room was clear but there was an adjacent room and entry way that had yet to be okayed. So, she kept her pistol close and stayed out of the line of sight from the entry way, waiting for instruction. The place was so quiet and her ears were picking up anything and everything, she thought she heard a shuffle from inside, but that very well could have been any one of her own team.

The man stared at her long and hard. "I dun need ta lower meh weapons so long as yah men have dere's up." Nobody would naturally want to give up the advantage. "What alliance is dere left to negotiate wit?"

She hadn't expected him to actually lower his weapons, but a request for it had been necessary and protocol all the same. Still she would not give the request for Illya or Ehvan to stand down until she had gained some semblance of believability with the man. "The same Alliance that once existed still exists. Those who did not break faith are together and trying to restore peace and take out those who have torn it apart. We can talk peace if you are willing."

"So yah come wit guns ta talk peace?" None of them knew what would actually be said, but he was trying to be as realistic as possible. For this scenario it was already agreed that it would be successful, but there wasn't anything about the fact that it had to be easy.

Calysta nodded, knowing that his point was coming. It was something she would have said herself and something she would be hearing more than once now. "Aye. I cant talk peace if I am dead from my enemies." She put her own gun in its holster and stared at the man with an earnest, but strong gaze. It was time to be pointed. "Are you a friend of the Alliance, or are you its enemy?"

"I am a reluctant friend." The man stared at her for a long moment. "Chippequoti have become tyrants and dey control Alliance. Dey are looking for power. Onleh short time after dey join dey become yah arms and sword."

Hearing that was hard, but she knew many people would be throwing those types of beliefs at her too. The Federation would be smearing the name of the Alliance and the Chippeqouti in every way possible. "I understand that it does look this way," Calysta said replied, "But I think there are some things we have to talk about. If you are a friend of the Aliiance , even a reluctant one, it does make you my friend and one deserving of explanation. Please lower your weapons and I will lower mine so we may talk."

Giving the order the lower the weapon the man watched to see if they would do the same. Illya was reluctant to follow the order and then they finished out the negotiations and then left. On the retreat Illya was ready, but kept his gun low. He didn't like lowering the gun because he didn't know what outcomes would be in every situation, but he had to do what Kalizda ordered in that sort of condition.

Once they were out of the town, Calysta breathed felt herself take what to have been her first real breath in a long day. She could tell Illya wasn't necessarily happy about her request to lower weapons, but it would be impossible to talk peace for either side while staring down the muzzle of a pistol. As they walked through the trees, still in tight formation, Calysta felt a sort of accomplishment at having been successful,, but she doubted all of them would be so easy. She wondered what Illya thought, and if he had anything he thought she might improve on besides things that were obvious.

********

After the exercise, Illya lead her to the moon shadow miles away where the Ehaui from the settlement were. Calysta's entire body was sore at this point, but even if she stumbled, she remained silent. There was no point in voicing how tired she was when it would make very little difference and would only make her look incompetent. Calysta would have wanted to see Nathan and Haza while she was here, but Illya led her directly to the Ehaui craftsmen. Illya had neglected to tell her she would be receiving body armor just like his men, but that hers had to be custom made. She was too tiny for standard issue. The Ehaui craftsmen seemed to be ready and waiting on them to arrive. "So small," he mused, "We'll have to be precise in her measurements. Can't have the pieces too loose or they wont do any good. Take off your pack, Kalizda." Wincing, she slid her pack off her shoulders and held still for the tall Ehaui to run scans with his device for precise measurements. "Hold out your arms." Calysta inwardly cringed at the request and stretched her arms out slowly. Shaking his head, the craftsmen looked at her with a stern gaze. "All the way and higher."

Would they even go any higher right now? Gritting her teeth, she gave her muscles a final order to lift higher and farther, trying to spread out. "Better." The man began his measurement scans and seemed to take forever as her arms were begging to be released. Why was he taking so long? She was nearly ready to drop her arm from the sheer inability to hold them up any longer when he finished and moved on to her legs. A gasp of relief escaped as her arms flopped to her sides. "Just don't ask me to stand on one leg right now," she managed to joke.

*****
By the time they returned to the tent her body was mostly numb. It had grown dark out and the air was cold enough with the incoming winter that her breath came in little steam puffs. Stepping into their home, Calysta looked to Illya with a small smile. "Day two done." Illya was giving her slightly worried look but she put a hand on his arm and tried to look more confident. "I'll make dinner, yeah?" She started to put together some simple rice and beans for their dinner, which wouldn't take long. Illya insisted that she go and he would do it, but she shook her head. "How about you do the dishes after?" The trade off seemed to work, and she boiled the water for the rice and started heating up some plump beans to go along with it. Calysta stood on her tired feet to fix the meal because she was certain that once she sat down, getting up was going to be a challenge. She wondered if she should leave a bowl out for Ayrn too. His bag was still in the corner but the man himself was nowhere to be found. It wasn't uncommon for him to leave his stuff and take off wherever he liked. He'd turn up when he felt like it.

The meal seemed to take a painstakingly long time to make, but once it was finally done, she piled up the fare in a bowl for Illya and then for herself. They ate in relative quiet and Calysta stood the entire time, focusing on only one bite after the other until her bowl was empty. Once dinner was done, she gave the bowl to Illya and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to get ready for bed." Passing by Rose's tee-pee a little pang in her chest. She missed her little girl bouncing around the tent with her toothy grins. They would go pick her up soon though.

Calysta shuffled her way into their bedroom, and half collapse onto the bed edge of her bed. The room was already wonderfully dark, and cool. How much sleep would she get tonight? She didn't mind the loss of sleep, but it did help her body recover from the exertion of training. It took everything she had to bend over and unlace her boots before taking off her socks. She shrugged off her tunic, then struggled to take off her tight leggings. They were clinging to her and her arms were shaking from over use almost too much to slid them off. When she managed to kick her pants off finally, Calysta slipped into the covers.

Immediately, she knew something was different. The bedroll felt sunken in on one side, but it wasn't Illya. He was still in the main part of the tent. Somebody else was in her bed. In a flash of instinct, Calysta sat up and wrenched back the covers. It was too dark to tell who it was but there was a form curled up under the blankets. She had a good idea of who it was. "Ayrn!" Rearing back, she delivered a good smack to whatever part of him she could.

"Ow! OW! What the-? Calysta?"

"Get out of my bed!" she ordered. Ayrn started scrambling away from her, but Calysta was tired and on a mission. She kept hitting as the Terran fell off the end trying to escape only to collide with Illya who was rushing in.

 

[Silence]

The trek back to the moon shadow was taken at a much more gradual pace. Illya didn't want to push Kalizda too hard this early, but she still needed to be pushed. She didn't have to train quite the same as the men, but she had to be able to keep up with them for most things. First they went to the Ehaui to get Kalizda measured. Next week she would be ready to wear it and then they could complete the training before embarking on the first small mission which would likely be friendly.

In the meantime she would need to be trained with the city filled with people and friendly cities versus unfriendly and even have a mock unfriendly encounter. Anything that they could do to prepare themselves and her for any future engagements. The rest of the walk was quiet and Kalizda seemed to insist on making dinner though he knew she was tired and offered to do it. Soon she would become more accustomed to this way of life. Tomorrow he was going to let her sleep only a few hours again and push hard. Often there were a few days at a time when they would be running and keeping difficult hours. Some days more than this, but they could help her when those times came. Taking the bowl she gave to him Illya ate it quickly and quietly. He noted that she was standing for most of this and it seemed to be odd. Perhaps she was too sore to sit?

"I do dishes remember." Mumbling a little as he shoved the last bite into his mouth he glanced up at her. She did seem to remember that and willing to let him help. It was about time she let him do something around here anyway. Soon enough the days training with her would be done and then they would prepare the next round of intensive training.

Illya took her dish with his when she handed it to him and winked. She was too tired to notice and that seemed to be the one downside of the long days. Kalizda was too tired for anything besides the training. He still needed a little sleep himself, but he wanted to have a little fun to and she wasn't really up for it. Closest he was going to get was a kiss and he knew that if he didn't want to make her upset he would have to be gentle with it. While he was still working on finishing up the dishes he heard a squeak from Kalizda and then a muffled sound of slapping.

There was some sort of commotion in the bedroom and Illya instantly felt a sense of panic. He didn't know what was wrong, but he was on his way there. It was only a split second before he was at the doorway of the bedroom and a figure ran into him. Without looking to see who it was Illya brought one knee up and caught the figure in the chest and then slammed a fist down on the right shoulder of whoever the intruder hand been. Leaning forward with all his weight Illya landed with his knee still on the chest of the one trying to break in and glowered down at them in the dark. "Who are yah!?"

Ayrn hadn't thought he would sleep so long that the two would return, but the hard stone floor had kinked up his back terribly and he was still muscle sore from the hard landing. He had been out cold dreaming of warm hands when someone started yelling at him and hitting him. Calysta was home. He panicked and tried to scramble away from her little bony fists as they pummeled him only to slam into Illya. The blow to the chest made him squeak but the hit shoulder forced him down and sent stars over his vision. "Its...Ayrn...," the Terran mumbled from under the man's knee, "Dont...kill...me..."

It was a slur of unrecognizable words that came from Illya's mouth. Most of it was a mix of Quoti and Trader's Tongue. Illya took his knee from Ayrn's chest and yanked the man to his feet, marching him right through the tent and to the edge of the moon shadow. "Yah here late and yah get into meh bed wit meh agreed." Still gripping the front of Ayrn's shirt he pulled his feet off the ground and growled. "Give meh yah report and den we talk about dis trouble.

Ayrn wiggled and even tried to slip out of his shirt, but Illya had it gripped too tightly to escape unless it ripped. The man hauled him out and into the grass and a new sense of panic washed over him. Illya was going to kill him and it was an accident. He hadn't mean to end up in bed with Calysta....though he had given it a few good tries. But not this time! He felt his feet leave the ground and he clamped his eye closed. "Terrans... war...Dad trying to split council...It was an accident I swear!" The words came bumbling out of his mouth as quickly as he could make them.

Like usual Ayrn was hardly more than a spineless little worm. He couldn't even manage to get a decent report out. "What was an accident!" Roaring still partially in rage Illya shook Ayrn slightly. His father wouldn't accidentally do something like that and one might assume that there was another part to the story. He had told Ayrn the report first and then the trouble.

Ayrn gulped and kicked his feet over the grass as Illya roared. Was it not obvious what the accident was? Licking his lips, he kept his eye closed and tried again. "Bed...was accident.." he said quickly, " The Terrans know Henaiah and others are missing. Alot think they've abandoned. Dad is spreading ideas that they really did to force the Terran president to move against the Alliance and get in bed...I mean ...align with others. .probably federation." The words came out a have jumble as he dangled from the generals iron grip.

It took a moment for the words to start coming out and when they did they were a horrible jumbled mess. Illya was able to make out some of them and he set Ayrn down on the ground. This time he loosened his grip some and he growled. "Give a report not a whine."

Ayrn took a deep breath of relief as his feet touched the ground and he straightened out his shirt. "It's already been reported that the Kaerelean council members are missing. The offical report is kidnapping, but Yarbrough is using their absence to show the Alliance is done. The Kareleans are cowards who broke faith in their time of need and now he's trying to convince the Terran leaders to break from the Alliance and declare war on their own. The President probably wont do it, not without backing so, he'll try buying off as many Kaerelean delegates as he can and force others into breaking from rhe alliance too."

Nodding a little Illya figured that the news functioned as his pretense to move into Reylia and make sure that they were with him. They would be cooperative if he had Tikan pegged right and then he could ensure that they were safe and holding ground. This was everything that he needed to move out and any action much further than this from either side was enough for a pretext of war. "Good yah report." Illya started back for the entrance to the moon shadow. "Now yah survive a night out here."

Ayrn caught his breath and ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't dead. He'd even done well according to Illya which was relief...until he heard the part about surviving outside. "Wh-what? Oh c'mon...I..did good didnt I? Its cold out here!"

"Yes yah do well." Illya called over his shoulder. "I tink yah learn manners better like animal. Yah act like one and I treat yah like one." Stepping into the moon shadow he started to close it down for the night. "Find way to stay warm Ayrn. I be back in morning ta get yah up."

As the moon door closed Ayrn watched on feeling like a dog that had been kicked out his own bed. Only it wasnt his really, but still he wasn't an animal! "Yeah! If I'm not frozen solid!" Glaring at Illya, he wrapped his arms around him and groaned. He didnt even have his bag! Kicking at the ground, he plopped down next to a tree and cursed at the dark.

The Chip smirked a little when he heard the other yell in return. It was a pathetic complaint. Wasn't nearly cold enough to actually freeze a body, though he doubted that Ayrn would be comfortable. Should be just cool enough that without a blanket the man would shiver the night through. They didn't have much for extra blankets and Illya didn't think that they would be all that comfortable without them. One night as long as they didn't do anything should be alright and then he'd have Ayrn wash everything early in the morning. As much as it grossed Illya out he was going to be the one on the same side as Ayrn had been. Though he had slept in worse conditions Illya preferred not to when he had a choice.

Returning to the bedroom Illya saw that Kalizda was getting herself together and preparing to take a shower. There wasn't any sign that Ayrn had done anything and he doubted that anything had happened, but all the same he was worried. Illya gently set a hand on her shoulder. "Yah ok? He didn't hurt yah?" Nodding in response Illya watched her head off to the showers anyway. It had been a long day and she was obviously completely tired out. Even her shoulders were slumped and she shuffled along like an old woman.

While she was busy washing Illya gathered up the blankets and bedding. He was going to wash everything again and it had only been a few days. At this rate they were practically living in a sterile environment. If it had been a fellow Chip in the bed it would have probably been safe to sleep in the blankets anyway, but not after Ayrn. Terran's were filthy and you couldn't trust them not to have a nasty disorder or disease of sorts. By the time he had them washed Kalizda was already trying to settle into the bedroom again and Illya crawled in next to her. "Yah jes stay close eh?" It was something he remembered saying to her or maybe she said to him once. Didn't matter much either way. Grinning at her he made a little space so she could be the small spoon and he could somewhat give her a little more warmth by wrapping his right arm around her waist. She was barely settled in and Illya chuckled a little. "He vereh cold an loneleh tonight. Ayrn sleep outside." When punishments fit the misbehavior it was entirely enjoyable.

Illya wasn't laying with Kalizda long before he started to fall asleep. The breathing became more gradual and the tension went out of his muscles. At first the sound of distant shells sounded and Illya wasn't too worried about it. These things happened frequently enough. Running you were just as likely to run into one as you were to get hit by one cause you were walking instead of running. What worried him more was that they had a mission to do.

Mumbling under his breath he started into the usual argument of why it wouldn't work. Like usual he was ordered to go out anyway and quickly found himself exactly in that place. The one where he knew what was going to happen and he couldn't stop it. No matter how hard he tried to curl into a ball he couldn't and he started to panic. He couldn't find anywhere to go and he was stuck outside and there was something wrong. His heart rate started to go up and he breathed in sharply as he tried to put his hands over his head as a final effort to protect himself. Just as he started to yell he felt something strange. It wasn't the searing pain of his back being broken or his leg shattered and arm snapping. Instead it was a soft voice and little hands.

Whatever was happening they were trying to distract him. Illya knew that this was deadly he couldn't afford stop, but it kept happening and he couldn't fight the feeling. It wasn't right, something wasn't right at all. Finally he started to become a little more aware of his surroundings. Illya caught the little hand in his own and he held onto it for a long moment while he tried to catch his breath. "Ok...I'm here."

The rest of the short night felt restless and Illya woke up a few times more when he felt the dream starting and he would hold onto her tiny hand and fall asleep again. When he woke up for the third time Illya made sure she fell asleep before he took himself outside to wake up Ayrn. As he expected the man was not sleeping well. Nudging him with his foot Illya nodded. "Yah come in now and I make yah someting ta eat eh?"

*******************************************************

Training over the next week stayed busy. Kalizda got two days off after another 2 rounds of increasingly hostile set ups. Illya got hit a few times with the markers when she had negotiated the guns to be lowered and the other team had played off quite well as friendly though they were eager to betray them. It was ultimately a failure and they were bound to have at least one of those. Still Illya couldn't have it that way in life.

When they were done with the last round he took Kalizda aside. "Yah can't always negotiate ta lower weapons." It had been a favorite tactic that had worked till now. "Dey not always going to lower and keep dere word." They both understood that and he knew that they needed to lower weapons to make the deal more easily negotiated. He could understand her reasons, but there were so many risks. "Kalizda I could get shot and not wit dese little markers. Yah could get shot, maybe dey would kill us bot and den Rose would ave onleh meh parents. We talk before we go into targets. I know more friendly ones with some information eh?" He didn't want to risk their negotiations anymore than she did, but neither did he relish getting shot at.

********************************************************

Quietly the scientist sat in front of Kent. "We've discarded all the information on the bone study. There was vital information lost."

"Such as?" Kent queried though he knew what they were likely to say. It was something that he was all too familiar with. His once bright eyes were dull and almost smokey though he could still see through them.

"If it really was Chippequoti bone samples then you should know that they have advanced bone structures. They won't suffer the same damage in a battle and they could show up from places our soldiers would never expect." The officer sitting next to the scientist had an urgency to his voice. He had heard of the violence of the Chippequoti and he didn't intend to become a victim, but they were difficult people to defeat in battle. Decades of studying war and he was lucky to have had 15 years of experience under his belt just working in the field. There was a time when a man knew he was outclassed and this was one of those times.

Kent chuckled softly. "Oh don't worry. I have other specialists working on my own little project. You'll be equipped with just what you need. It will have immediate effect." The man dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry. This will level the playing field so to speak."

 

[aryamajor]

Illya came back from where he had deposited Ayrn and immediately put a hand on her shoulder, looking concerned. She hadn't meant to get Ayrn beaten if that's what Illya had done, though it was all the more that the little rat deserved for just piling up in someone's bed. Now they would have to wash the sheets, because the sneak was smelly most of the time. And to think she'd been slightly worried about him. She nodded and slid her fingers under his, though they only wrapped around three of them at the most. "I'm alright. The little rat just surprised me is all. I think I will go take that shower though.

Calysta finished up her shower which actually helped loosen her sore muscles and shuffled back to their tent to find Illya had stripped the bed. She laid down on the plain mat and tried to curl up anyways. The idiot spy had already made her lose time she could have spent sleeping. Not long after, Illya returned and crawled in beside her and wrapped his right hand around her waist so she could pull close to him. He was always warm and his broad shoulders pretty much engulfed her. When he said something about staying close, Calysta couldn't help but chuckle. It was one of the first things he'd ever said to her and the first time they'd ever shared a bed under much different circumstances. She it said it to him now occasionally as her own small personal joke, but it was funny to here him say it back. Curling up close, and using part of his shoulder as a pillow, she heard him chuckle. "He vereh cold an loneleh tonight. Ayrn sleep outside." At least it didn't sound like Illya had been too hard on him, though the Terran would definitely be in for a chilly night and everyone knew the man hated sleeping alone. "Serves him right," Calysta replied with little laugh. Calysta shook her head and used her free hand to pull him as close as she could. "It's going to be a cold night, but we're good at keeping each other warm."They chuckled with each other in the darkness for awhile, with small little flirts and soon Calysta began to relax into his arms. Her eyes drooped and she drifted off to sleep.

His tight grip woke her up. Illya was muttering in his sleep and holding on to her so tight it almost felt like he was crushing her. "Illya?" The muttering grew louder and she tried to shift. Craning her neck, she caught sight of his face as he flinched in his sleep. It was the dreams again? They would get out of control quickly and he could accidentally hurt her if he kept squeezing like her was. Reaching back she cupped his cheek, stroking with her thumb gently. "Illya, it's okay. It's a dream in the past." Smoothing his soft curls she kept whispering to him. "Stay with me in the present. It's just a dream." Her hand wandered to the nape of his neck and held him there with a tender touch. "It's your Kalizda." Finally his grip on her relaxed and though his eye didn't open, she could feel him nod in the dark. "Ok...I'm here."

Calysta took a deep breath and held him close, taking his hand under hers. "I'll tell you a story..." She made it half way through whispering the story of Gyl before her exhaustion pulled her back into sleep.

****

Ayrn gave up trying to get warm and stuck his arms inside his shirt to beat back the cold. He'd done it a perfectly good job and just because he was accidentally in bed with Calysta he'd been booted out. Some boss Illya was. Settling against the cold bark of the tree he stuck his nose in the collar of his shirt and tried to use is breath to stay warm. He shivered until he got to tired to even do that and fell into a half sleep that was only interrupted by strange sound from the pitch black forest around him. At one point he was sure there were eyes on him. Beady little eyes that were watching him as their mid night snack. He'd just about curled his entire body into his shirt when something nudged his boot. Ayrn bolted up and plastered himself to the tree with his heart racing a mile a minute. "Dont eat-" He stopped mid -sentence as he realized Illya was standing over him. It might as well have been a wolf or a mountain cat with those bright eyes shining down in the early morning light. Why did the guy always have to sneak up on him like that? Between the General and his wife, Ayrn was going to have a heart attack within the year. The man grumbled something about letting him back inside like a stray cat and feeding him breakfast. Ayrn could hardly turn down a meal and he nodded. "Don't suppose Calysta made pancakes?" The comment earned him a scowl and he held his hands up. "Alright, alright. Whatever you've got."

Illya lead him inside and made him up a bowl of oatmeal with fruit. It wasn't exactly bacon, eggs, or pancakes, but he was hungry, so he didn't care. Slurping down the mushy oats, he listened to the general's next assignment. He would be going to the undeclared territories and seeing how the public opinion fared there. "Aye, I'll do it, but travel may be getting even harder soon. Especially for Terrans." Luckily, he wasn't microchipped anymore so if someone did an unauthorized scan of him, they would be out of luck. As he spooned another bite into his mouth, his eye wandered to their quaint little bedroom where Calysta was still sleeping. He did feel bad for scaring the little woman, though she hadn't needed to go crazy on him. "Uh before I ship out, mind doing me a favor? Tell Calysta, sorry...and you wouldn't happen to know a woman named Tabit would you?"

****

The next few days of training were just as rigorous as the days prior. Calysta kept pushing and if she faltered, she learned or got up and kept moving. She was more or less sore from head to toe, but the more she moved and practiced, the more the aches worked themselves out. What worried her more was the negotating part. The opponents in their exercises had double crossed them several times, claiming to be friend and then shooting them as soon as they offered to talk. She'd gotten herself and lllya tagged more than once and he seemed to be getting frustrated with her. They discussed the issue over dinner and Calysta understood what he was saying. How did she balance safety of her team, with the point of her mission? It would be easier when she knew what areas they would be heading into, but it didn't make failure any less frustrating or nerve wracking when it happened. She would never forgive herself if Illya was killed because her own mistake. "Aye, we'll talk before we go into an area.I won't let anything happen when I can better read the area." Calysta could only guess the next friendly area they would be going to was Reylia. Illya had mentioned that Henaiah believed them to be allies and she felt that was a good assumption as well. Tikan was straightforward, loyal to his people, and would be helpful in the battles to come. It was a little heartening to think that might be her first mission.

Illya's face was still sunken with concern, and the room felt far too heavy with so much talk of war. She didn't want him worrying about things that were her burdens to bear and protect him from. The tension needed to be broken. Calysta plucked her elastic hair tie from her pony tail and then stretched it between her fingers, aim for Illya's arm before releasing it. The elastic shot out and popped against his arm before bouncing into his lap. "Friendly fire," she chuckled, with a playful smile, "What will my Chip do?"

*****
Sarai sat across from the Terran who was waiting for an answer. These kinds of games came with high stakes, and this sort of gambit was the highest she had ever played.
"You make quite a proposal, Mr. Smith. This is a generous sum for my loyalty."

The fair haired man scoffed jokingly. "Not loyalty Mrs. Pentyl- "

"Councilwoman," Sarai corrected sweetly.

Mr. Smith took a sip of his wine and nodded. "Councilwoman. Its merely a nice reward in return for solidarity with the Terrans in such troubling times. There are many threats from out side and within I'm afraid. You want to keep you people safe and so do the Terrans. We have done wonderful business with Uria for many years and would hate for out allies to suffer should war break out."

"You're right of course. No need for useless suffering," Sarai agreed, "How about you give me 12 hours to consider and bring this to my matriarch. With such a sum, I'm sure they'll be easily persuaded to continue their businesses with the right Terrans, hmm?"

"You could just simply take the sum and push through the vote yourself, yes?"

Sarai swirled her wine glass and then took a delicate sip, before giving the man a small smile. "Aye, I could. But that would create suspicion among my sisters and instability in Uria. I doubt that would be good for trade. Let me speak with them. They needn't know where the money came from."

Mr. Smith wasn't exactly happy about the time delay but if it pushed the deal through without more drastic or attention grabbing means it would be worth it. Mr. Yarbrough only liked flare when he was the one who designed it. "6 hours and the deal is rescinded."

Sarai chuckled. "You drive a hard bargain. I'm going to miss out on my husband Syrus tonight it seems, but 6 hours it is."

Sarai waited till the slippery little Terran man left her office before calling in Henryk. "Henryk, be a dear and go to your favorite party spot for me? Take them this little party favor while you're at it?" She hand wrote a note warning that she was being pressured to pledge one way or the other for the alliance or its enemies and had 6 hours to comply or not. At least it might be a little warning. "Yes ma'am. I'll make sure the host gets it."

 

[Silence]

Before seeing the Terran off Illya was asked a few questions and he smirked. "I tell her yah sorreh." However, the second part was far more disturbing. What would Ayrn want with one of the Chippequoti women. "Aye, I know a woman Tabit. She's not for yah if that's what yah wonder." Keeping it short and firm was all the more Illya knew to do. He didn't want to see any of the good, loyal Chip women involved with the kind that Ayrn was. Perhaps another Terran would be more fitting. They had similar tastes in lengths of relationship. For the most part they were filthy little people that had an insatiable appetite for someone other than their own. Not that he couldn't say that about the Urian's, but at least they tried to keep washed.

Days of training passed and he was getting more worried as time went. It was likely that at some point they would encounter a group that fully intended to pretend to work with them and then kill when they had the chance. The most likely to die would be Kalizda simply because she wasn't as strong and she would be upfront. Hopefully having Ayrn out on the field gathering intelligence would counteract that particular issue.

He was still busy thinking about the war when a little sting struck him in the arm. Instantly his eyes snapped to Kalizda and she was giggling about it. Picking the hair band out of his lap he stared at it for a moment and grinned. "I go ta war." Grabbing a tuft of hair from the top of his head he tied it straight up in the air with the band. It was barely a mini spring of black curl that poked through the top. With a growl he crawled toward her and gently pushed Kalizda over so he could kiss her. While he made his attack Rose figured it was a game for all and took a wild leap. The girl landed on Illya's back with a hoot and wrapped her little fingers in his hair giggling at the tie he put in it. Illya groaned. "Agh no...I have da wild females in revolt."

With little Rose around it turned more into a game of tackling then anything else. A game which Illya allowed himself to be at the bottom for. It was a little safer for Rose to dog pile on top of Kalizda and Kalizda on top of him. Laying under the women he gave another groan. "Yah bot so heavy." While Rose was busy cheering for her little victory he wrapped his arms around both of them and growled, "But not heavy enough." Turning to the side he let his hand loose so Rose could get away and she was having fun thinking she was sneaky while Illya laid over top of Kalizda and snuck in a few kisses. Rose jumped on his back again and hooted and hollered as if she were going to save Kalizda from him. It was impossible not to laugh like a boy when he was hiding his kisses with Kalizda from a kid that was bouncing on his back so vigorously. Leaning in for another kiss he barely made it through without chuckling. Winking at Kalizda he pushed up on one elbow and tipped so that Rose fell off. "Yah better run from dah wolf." Growling he reached for her little legs as she scrambled away and he crawled after her making growling sounds.

Rose ran around the tent squealing with delight and shrieking from time to time. Grabbing onto Kalizda she yelled, "Save me! Save me, Kalizda." Giggling a little she watched while Illya came toward them growling. Snatching up a pillow from her bed nearby Rose still clung to Kalizda with one little fist and beat on Illya's head with her pillow before hitting him one last time and dropping her pillow to prance about the tent shrieking. It was all the better when Papa Thomas came in. Grabbing his legs she ran around him giggling. "Save me! He's gonna gobble me all up. He's a wolf." Squealing she made a mad dart past her Papa Thomas again and snatched up her pillow to beat on Illya with again while the Chip just lowered his head and growled playfully. After a short while he made a sort of dog whine and rolled to his side. "Yah beat da old wolf ta death." Flopping out flat on the floor he closed his eyes and opened his mouth while sticking his tongue out.

The girl started to sneak up on him and when he could hear her excited little breaths and her tiny fingers poking his side he laid still for a second longer before opening his eyes and roaring. Rose jumped back with a shriek and ran for Thomas. Clutching his legs she laughed between her heavy breaths. It was almost terrifying and yet so invigorating and exciting for a child her age.

Getting to his feet Illya grinned. "Eh...I'm done being wolf now." Meeting Thomas' gaze he tried an awkward grin. "Yah like tea or what yah here for?"

******************************************************

Illya wasn't even to the moon shadow and Hendryk was waiting for him with some sort of message. The general beckoned for him to follow and he took the paper from him. Reading the news was disturbing to say the least. Looking over at the man he clenched his jaw momentarily and then crumpled it and stuffed it into his pocket. He had been unstrapping the body armor from the training, but instead kept it on. "Yah wait for meh here."

Charging into the moon shadow Illya raced to his tent. "Kalizda dere is emergency. Pressure to make council decide for Alliance, or no. I nut back tonight." It was going to be too late to make the journey back into the forest and he doubted that it would be much past daylight if he made it back here right after the meeting. There was no telling how long it would be. When he emerged again Illya looked at Hendryk and nodded to the moon shadow. "Yah still wait. I need ta get someone." Ensuring that is armor was tight Illya clipped the sword to his side so it wouldn't wobble and snapped the gun down into place before running most of the way to the next moon shadow. He figured that if they got out of the forest that Hendryk had taken some kind of transport.

Once he reached the next moon shadow Illya burst into Henaiah's tent. "Come wit meh now." There was no time to waste and he gave a short explanation. "Sarai forced ta make choice between Alliance or no in 5 hours now." That seemed to get all the haste he needed. "Yah represent Alliance and Chippequoti. I yah bodyguard." Half dragging and carrying the woman under one arm Illya made his way back to Hendryk as fast as he could. By the time they reached the city and were admitted to the council room Illya's hair was curling and winging out in almost every direction though most of it was hidden by his beret.

As a bodyguard he refused to sit and he stood next to Henaiah as he looked about the room. He wanted to know every face in here so he could recall if there was anyone out of place later on.

 

[aryamajor]

Calysta laughed and giggled along as Illya kissed her and chased Rose around the tent. If it was war of the stolen kisses, Illya had certainly won and she’d let him happily claim the victory over her. Rose hid behind her claiming ‘safe’ while Illya pounced at her causing an explosion of giggles from both of them. About the time Rose was seeking sanctuary behind her, Illya was on the prowl again causing squeals of laughter and her father stepped through the tent. His knees wobbled as Rose grabbed on and swung around as her Wolf gave chase, and couldn’t help but let a broad grin spread over his face. Rose gave Wolf a few good smacks with her pillow and her father started laughing to match his grin. He’d walked in on a bit of fun and the smile on his daughter and granddaughter’s face warmed his heart.

When Illya resurrected as himself rather than the Wolf, Thomas gave the Chip an amused look. A top knot was not the man’s style.
“No tea, but I will take some coffee if you’ve got it,” Thomas said, mildly. He didn’t reply to the second half of the statement because he didn’t need a reason to come visit his daughter or his granddaughter the way he saw it.

“We have a little,” Calysta admitted, “Come on in and I’ll start you up some.”

“Papa Thomas, you have to see my tea set!” Rose grabbed ahold of her grandfather’s hand and dragged him forward toward her little cave, “It’s a real one with pink flowers and I earned it with my wages!”

Thomas shot Calysta a surprised look at the word ‘wages’ and she shrugged back at him. “She earns an allowance. Very determined too.”

“Oh.” Thomas had never heard of a six year old willing to work for an allowance, but it seemed harmless enough. At least it made her happy to have whatever it was she earned. Rose lead Thomas to their little sitting area and started pulling out her tea set on its shiny metal tray. The tray

The little, ceramic tea set rattled on the tray as Rose tried to carry it over to Thomas. She waivered with the tray and Thomas reached out to help her steady it with a quick hand. The girl didn’t have just a play tea set. This was a nice one with pink roses painted around the rims of the dainty cups. He had never brought anything like it for Calysta when she was young because she had shown so little interest in the more feminine things. For her sixth Christmas he’d asked what she wanted and the immediate answer had been a twin engine personal flyer she could take out like the other children did. He saved up for months and that was what she got. His girl had never been happier either. As much as he loved his daughter, it was nice to see his granddaughter liked pink and the girly things. It gave him an excuse to give her things he was positive little girls would like rather than playing the guessing game he’d had to do when his daughter was growing up.

Calysta made the coffee, and Rose insisted it was poured into her chosen tea cup for Papa Thomas. She poured it up and the little girl walked with determined precision over to her grandfather, tongue stuck in the corner of her mouth with the effort. “Why thank you, Miss Rose,” Thomas chuckled as he took the cup in his much thicker fingers and took a sip. Rose giggled and shook her head. “You’re doing it wrong. You have to stick your pinky out. Like this.” She took up his hand in her little fingers, almost making him spill the coffee and drew his pinky finger away from the cup. “That’s how you’re supposed to do it.”

“Oh I see,” Thomas chuckled, taking another sip with his pinky stuck out firmly from the tiny cup handle. Calysta made some herbal tea for herself and Illya, and as it brewed she sat beside her Chip, leaning close to watch her father play with Rose. As they played, something on his hand caught her eye. Something was glinting on his finger in the lamplight. Was that a ring? “Hey, dad. What’s that on your hand?”

Thomas froze mid-sip as his eyes traveled to his daughter. He hadn’t been wearing the ring long and done so despite Henaiah wishing he wouldn’t. If he was married though, he wanted people to know it unlike the Kaereleans or even the Chippeqouti. Since his new wife and refused to change her name to Monroe, he had taken to wearing a golden band to signify their relationship as Terrans often did.

“It’s a ring,” he said quickly, “A..uh…wedding ring.”

He’d tried to keep that news under cover for the most part, because Henaiah has asked him to, but there wouldn’t be any hiding it from Calysta if they were going to be keeping Rose on an occasion. Grandma Henny would be there with him sometimes.

“A wedding ring?” Calysta repeated, “Did you…you and Henaiah are….married now?” When had this happened? Why hadn’t they told anybody?

“Aye. I asked, and she said yes,” Thomas replied nonchalantly, “She wanted a quiet ceremony.”

Calysta’s mouth fell out open a little in indignation. Henaiah, the woman who had up and left her father once, had married him again. Not only that but she had gotten a nice, quiet ceremony and made Calysta and Illya’s a bit of a circus. A good and wonderful circus, but much wilder than either of them had wanted. Her face started turning pink and her father gave her a little but of an apologetic look. “Henny wanted it kept quiet so there was less stress.”

“Well, it would have been nice to know a little sooner,” Calysta grumbled.

“You’ve been stressed with moving and whatever else you’ve been doing,” he replied, trying to be gentle, “I figured I would tell you eventually.”

Rose paused in her pretend sipping and looked up to Thomas with a question glinting in her eyes. “ Do you mean that lady in the pretty clothes?”

Thomas chuckled, glad to break away from the incredulous look his daughter was staring at him with. “Aye, the lady with the pretty clothes is Grama Henny.”

Calysta tried to feel happy for her dad, and in a way she was, but it was a little insulting that Henaiah had walked out on her when she was a child but had become interested in being ‘Grama Henny’ for her own children. It was a done deal now though and there was little she could do about it. Henaiah would be coming with them on some of the mission though, so she doubted the woman would have little time to get close to Rose and hurt her if things didn’t work out between them again.

“Well, I’m glad you’re happy Dad…congratulations,” Calysta puffed.

Thomas smiled and nodded before taking another sip of his coffee. Now that his little news was out of the way he could ask how everything was going with them. “How have things been going here? I haven’t seen either of you in almost two weeks and every time I come by you’re gone.”

Calysta shot Illya a look, trying to tell him to brace himself. She had planned on telling her father about the new job when she saw him but it didn’t make the process any easier. Thomas was going to have over-protective kittens when he heard when what she had been doing all week. She didn’t feel quite as bad now, knowing he’d kept his own secret for so long. With a small sigh, she looked at her father and decided to simply state the facts. “Oh, I’ve been invited to join Illya’s team as a translator and I’ve been training all week with him.”

Thomas choked a little on his coffee and his eyes grew round. His daughter had gone from Skycorp to basically joining the military?! He stared at the two of them in total shock for a long moment and then put down his cup. This time he wasn’t sure whose awful idea this was. Was it his daughter chasing her wanderlust, or his son-in-law dragging her into war? Immediately he set into telling her how much of a bad idea it was. So many things could happen and even if she had improved health she wasn’t bloody bullet proof. The more he sputtered the more his stare turned to a glare at the both of them. “Surely you can step down?” he asked, swapping to Kaerelean.

Calysta glared back and shook her head. She knew he worried, and rightfully so, but this was her life and her decision. Just as Illya had been. “Even if I could, I don’t want to. I have a chance to change things and protect Illya while I’m at it. I’m not backing out.”

Thomas’ jaw worked and he sat down the little tea cup. Why did his daughter do this every time? It was like his daughter had a death wish and her husband was merrily holding her hand to guide her to deaths door. “Well, I’m not going to be the one to explain to Rose why her mother isn’t coming home again,” he snapped in Kaerelean, as he stood. He shot Illya a look before bending down to kiss Rose on the top of her head. “Are you leaving Papa Thomas?”
“Mhm. But not for long. I’ll come see you tomorrow, okay?” he replied in traders-tongue.

“Okaigh. We can have tea again!”

With that, he gave them both an silent nod before exiting the tent with his fists clenched. Calysta sighed and rubbed her temples, before daring a glance over at Illya. “You should have seen him when I told him I was joining Skycorp.”

****************************

Henaiah was looking over a report from Markus when Illya burst into her tent unannounced blurted out something about Sarai and the Alliance then started hauling her away from her work like a sack of potatoes. Didn't anyone believe is asking for permission to enter someones place around here? She could have been doing anything as he tromped announced through her doorstep. By the time she managed to get him to give a bit more detail about what was happening and a short explanation from Henryk on the transport ride over, she had a better idea of exactly what was going on. It sounded as though one of the Terran held Federation Corporations was playing games, trying to drive a wedge further into the Alliance and pressure others into joining. She had a fair idea that this mysterious visitor and the company he was with was tied to William Yarbrough and his power schemes. She'd seen how he pushed the Terrans to the brink of war with the Cirellants and now he was upping the ante by trying to break apart the Alliance. He was already a man who craved money from what she had seen but this latest move bespoke of a greater motive.

Henaiah looked over the round room filled with women. All of them wore the black flowing office apparel, but rather than silver, sported silky pink sashes. These were the matriarchs of Uria and they were all abuzz as they caught sight of her entering the room with Illya. “She’s been missing for weeks…where did she go? Did she really abandon the Alliance? That’s what many of the councilers say. Sarai says different. She’s with one of the Chippeqouti men…what is he doing here? This place is for matriarchs only…”

Henaiah ignored the chatter. It would only pose to distract from her purpose and there was so much at stake here. Sarai called all of the woman to order and then stepped down from the dias in the middle of the room once it was silent. The woman beckoned Henaiah over with a sweet smile and stood beside her as the Councilwoman took the stage. There were dozens of painted eyes on her, but she put her hands on the side of the podium and swept her green eyes over the room, making sure to capture the attention of them all before beginning.

“Ladies, you are all very much aware of who I am, so I will dispense with the formalities,” she started, “In recent weeks you have seen me disappear from my post on Kinte and have been given the idea that I have abandoned it all together. You have heard worries whispers from you husbands and your children that the Alliance is crumbling. That my absence along with several others is proof that we as Kaereleans have abandoned our promises and become too divided to function. That it no longer exists.”

Henryk quietly translated the words from Kaerelean to Illya as quietly as he could. A murmur swept through the room and some of them shifted in their seats with worries glances. Henaiah gave them their moment, before swallowing and continuing her point. “I have come to put those rumors to rest. The Alliance is very much alive and Councilmembers too loyal to be bought off by those threatening to tear it apart have been driven into seeking the safety of our allies. Allies like the Chippeqouti. I have not abandoned my work and neither have they. We work to keep the Alliance alive.”

She made a small pause before continuing to let that fact sink in. “Today the enemies of the Alliance, The Federation, have offered you a choice. Join them or keep you loyalties with the Alliance with whom you have shared a relationship for generations.”

The room was silent as a grave for a long moment until one of the younger matriarchs stood. “What you ask of us is to invite war to Uria if we openly announce an alignment. This Federation was something that we didn’t even know existed until the Chippeqouti came along. They bring war with them no matter where they go it seems.”

There was a rolling grumble of agreement through the woman and Henaiah gripped the podium a little tighter. “This Federation existed in our shadows far before the Chippeqouti came to Kaerelean territory.”

One of the older women stood, pointing her wizened hand at the younger. “Have you no sense? War is upon us either way. The Alliance has been strong for over 500 years. We cannot simply break faith with it and destroy our honor when others would. Urians are better than what you suggest. I say declaring for the Alliance is the only option!”

The room exploded into a flurry of talks and Sarai screeched to restore order. “You have heard what the Councilwoman has to say, and now you will hear my opinion. These Federation corporations have committed atrocities that none of us could imagine bearing. They are dishonest and will not be as loyal or faithful in their words and have proven capable of even mass genocide against their comrades who displease them. Is this the sort of entity you want to align with? Yes, declaring for the Alliance may very well bring war, but that is the risk we should take given the alternative. You know where I stand. Proudly, so. Please, do not bring this decision down to me alone. We are sisters and must listen.”

**********

Henaiah paced outside the double doors as the 3rd hour of debate roared on from inside. Urian women liked to examine all angles and make the best move to protect their children and their husbands. But what would they deem that best move to be. They were coming up on the 6 hour deadline and she could hardly stand the wait. “Sarai will make an executive order to align with the Alliance,” Henaiah whispered to Illya in traders tongue as she paced, “Those who oppose will challenge with a vote of no confidence. If she cannot combat that, she will be banished from matriarch.”

Finally the door opened and they were called to the dias again. Sarai stood with them looking pink cheeked and tired. Henryk gave her an encouraging smile. The other women in the women were silent as the Chip, the Councilwoman, and her husband stepped in.

“Councilwoman Henaiah. Uria does nothing without careful consideration,” Sarai said, looking them over with a proud chin, “After consideration and discussion, we as sisters, realize the value of our alliance with the other Kaerelean continents. We stand by the Alliance and will not break our oaths.”

Relief flooded through Henaiah and she swayed a little on her feet, trying to keep her face neutral. Several of the women, mostly younger matriarchs stood in defiance. “Let it be known, that we sisters of the Matriarch openly protest this decision.”

Sarai looked to them all and nodded, for once very solemn. “Your protest will be noted in the record.”

 

[Silence]

Of course Thomas was going to invite himself in anyway and ask for something they didn't have. Illya didn't drink coffee and neither did Kalizda. It was ridiculous that she had started buying some just for her dad. Thomas was so rude. A typical Terran and Illya had done his best to be decent with the guy. Instead Thomas would come in and ask for coffee. Didn't he have any of his own?

Settling down across from Thomas it was next to impossible not to feel like the man was judging him at this instant. Illya picked the band out of his hair and rubbed the top of his head where just the center of the hair had been pulled. It was mildly uncomfortable and he didn't know how women tolerated these things. He wasn't really going to tell Kalizda that hair was much more comfortable short though. Her long hair was too pretty and he liked it that way. Little Rose was busy showing off her tea set and Illya grinned a little. She had every right to be proud of that little tea set.

The look from Thomas at the mention of wages didn't escape Illya. Straightening a little the Chip was ready to explain it to her father since he could almost bet that the man was going to be grilling him on it. Having to answer to Thomas in his own home about his own family had become an annoying and obnoxious part of the visits. Thankfully he didn't have to and Illya remained silent even when Kalizda noticed the ring. They were having a perfectly decent and good family time till the guy came to visit. In a way Illya knew he would have to get over the resentment, but he sincerely disliked the man on almost every level. While he was busy having mini rants in his head Illya missed most everything said after the wedding part to Henaiah. Illya only looked up when he noted that her father was giving him a dirty look and he returned it. There was nobody like Thomas to make a man's blood boil.

Naturally Thomas leaned down to kiss Rose on top the head and promise to come back the next day. Illya had just about enough of the man. Living a whole planet away was different than being in the same cavern/moon shadow together. Illya had a lot to say about this and he needed to be able to fully express himself so he started off in Quoti to speak with Kalizda. "Yah father onleh brings trouble. T-then he demands coffee. Let him get his own eh? Yah dun drink et and I dun drink et." There were so many more things that he wanted to say, but he couldn't without making Kalizda angry.

Calysta had thought Illya would have asked about what just transpired in Kaerelean, instead he started off by saying her father was trouble. He could be, but the man was still her father. Then coffee came to totally out of the blue on Illya's list of concerns. "I know he can be...difficult.. but he's my father. And his occasional cup of coffee is a small thing."

"Yah go through trouble to get him coffee eh and yah have to make et for him." Illya knew this was slightly unreasonable, but he couldn't really pick at anything else right now. "I dun get special tings for meh mum or dad when dey visit. Onleh get special tings when dey stay for long time wit Rose. For all I know yah dad could ask for ah.....ah whole bed in da tent and den what? We give et to him?"

Calysta frowned at her Chip and tilted her head at him. They'd had a good night and now he seemed to be looking for an argument. She was very much aware her father could be overbearing and that Illya could only take so much. Still she didn't want them to argue. "If he didn't have anywhere else to go, I'd give him a place to sleep, yes," she replied evenly, "and he supplies the coffee himself. I'd do no less for Markus or Yvonne."

She was taking it to an extreme and Illya was about ready to lose his patience. "Damn it Kalizda." The logic was beating him out and he knew it was because he hadn't been logical in the least. "I just don't want yah dad to come back tomorrow. Maybe yah make a chore or someting for me to leave eh?"

Calysta's shoulders sank a little when he cursed and she sighed. Illya had been so patient with her father, and so had she but this was heading towards a boiling point. Raising a brow at him, she thought for moment about how she wanted to approach this, then settled on just being straightforward. "I can't make up a chore every time he comes over Illya. So, why don't you just talk to me and tell me what's wrong so I can fix it?"

There was so much that was wrong. Illya's eyebrows raised a little and he threw his hands in the air. "Dere is no way ta fex dis. Yah father doesn't like meh. He gives dose nasty glares all dah time and he's rude. I do meh best and ets never good enough. Offer meh best to him and he never approves. Yah father hates Chippequoti and I dun like him."

Calysta let him have his little outburst and stared him with an unreadable expression for a long time, before standing up. "Dad doesn't hate Chippeqouti and he doesn't hate you. He is rude and a bit of a bull sometimes. Most of the time. He just has problems because for a long time, I was the only family he had. And he was mine. Now, I have more than I could ever hope for and he wants to be a part too. Clearly, he can't do that if he can't let go." She bent down and kissed Illya's hair before starting toward the door.

Those stares were the worst. Illya couldn't quite make out why he was upset with her staring like that, but he felt like he just lost this one. She got up with a nice little explanation and kissed his head. Then she started toward the door and he stood up. "Where yah going?"

She stopped just shy of the tent flap and turned back to look at him. Wasn't it obvious? "To talk to my father. This is getting settled one way or another."

Illya whispered to her across the tent. "I dun wanna talk to him." He knew she was going to make him and he didn't want to. "Kalizda!" She was already on her way out and he sat down with a huff. "Damn it."

Calysta heard him call her name but she was already long gone from the tent. She'd had enough. They may never like each other but they were going to respect each other if she had to teach it herself. Illya had been more than patient and her father had been a bull. It was time she stepped in whether they liked it or not.

****************************************

When they arrived at the meeting Illya stepped into the large room with Henaiah. She had tried to excuse him, but he wasn't about to be excused from this meeting. It became a bit obvious after he was in the room that they really were a society ruled by women. Why couldn't they share the leadership with men? This just seemed so strange. There were male and female Elders among the Chippequoti and he always thought that was only fair. No wonder this society was imbalanced. They didn't have the appropriate measures of man and woman.

He listened carefully as Hendryk tried to explain what was going on and Illya frowned a little. These younger women were not helpful to the cause. Were they bought off? Each time Hendryk translated something negative Illya would glanced up to see who it was talking like that. He wanted to memorize their faces. If the time came that they were to be at war with Uria he would know which ones would need a visit. The general hated to think that Uria would turn on them and eventually he and Henaiah were escorted from the room with Hendryk. While Henaiah paced the floor Illya shifted from standing to sitting and then he would stand again and wander as closely as he could to the doors of the council. Not that he could actually understand anything if he could hear them, but he wanted to know why it was taking so long. There were plenty of screeches that anyone could hear even out into the hall. For all he knew they may have launched themselves from their seats and started pulling each others hair. If a few bald women or ladies with patches of hair missing came out he could assume that's what happened.

That little thought brought a smile to his face and Illya stepped away from the door. A short while later he saw the doors open and he went over to stand next to Henaiah. There was no need to risk having the woman accidentally hurt or killed. Sarai came out and she appeared to be slightly ruffled. Illya narrowed his eyes slightly. "Ef yah find yahself in trouble yah husbands know how ta find meh."

***************************************************

So far there hadn't been any word from Sarai, but Illya still had a feeling that things were not going well on that end. He couldn't stop his campaign over that though he was still concerned. They needed to get to Reylia. This couldn't act as a set back. So long as the Federation didn't know that he was already on the move then he should be fine. They had the upper-hand with this and he wanted to keep it that way. Having the element of surprise and first strike capability was far more than what the Federation would expect from them. To already be ahead of them and claiming territory for the Alliance was going to be the only way to make it through all this.

Before going home Illya stopped to talk with his father. The rest of the men went through to their moon shadow and Illya sent word with Ehvan to tell Kalizda he would be late. Illya stopped at Markus and Yvonne's to talk. "Dad." When the man turned around he walked over toward him. "I need ta ask yah someting eh?"

Markus rarely spoke with Illya about things so he nodded and took a seat in a quiet part of the moon shadow. "What es et?"

"We need to move to Reylia and get more land and help." Illya looked at his father. "Soon and Sarai could be in danger eh. Yah maybe send Ehud to watch her in da city." They couldn't have anyone go after her. "Ehud and his men easier to blend. Dey not so tall and dey lighter like people here." These were the sort of things that Illya had to have cleared through his father and he wanted to have it done now.

The older man nodded carefully. "I'll have et done." Getting up he offered a hand to Illya. "Yah be safe." In some ways he was worried that Illya would not come back or that this war would kill him. His son's first war was tragic and it cost everything short of his life. Even now Markus knew that Illya still had some pain from the injuries, though it had not stopped him. "When dere is peace yah will better life wit yah Kalizda." All of them wanted peace and Markus more than some. He was tired of the wars and devastation. Most of all he was ready to pass his position on to Illya and let his son train someone else to take the place of an elite forces general. "I will write order for Ehud right away and deliver et mehself."

With the woman being watched over Illya felt better. The Alliance would have to show that they could keep track of their own and protect them if he was going to convince others that the Alliance was powerful enough to make a difference. It had to be powerful enough to protect its own. If those who stayed with the Alliance bega to mysteriously die then no one would join them.

Getting up from his spot Illya nodded to his father. "I leave now. Tomorrow Rose come ta stay wit yah eh?" For this particular trip Illya didn't think that he would be needing to take Henaiah. Tikan was a good man and Illya liked him. They had a mutual understanding. On the way back to his moon shadow Illya walked at a good pace, but not too fast. He wanted to get back to Kalizda and he wanted to have a little bit of time to himself. There were days like this that required some quiet. When he finally reached the tent Illya went straight to Kalizda and grabbed her around the waist playfully. Pulling her against himself he craned his neck over her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "Meh beautiful. I miss yah today." Holding her for a second more felt good. Sometimes he didn't really want anything, just a minute to hold her and have that moment of peace. Once he figured there should be an explanation he started into the plans. "Tomorrow we leave to see Tikan and Rose gets ta stay wit meh mum and dad." They really had no idea how long this could be, but he intended to keep it under four weeks if he could. "We make our move eh? Den Alliance stays strong."

 

[aryamajor]

Calysta marched out of her tent, leaving her Chip behind, and went to her father's smaller tent. On the whole, she was glad her was there and safe but she wondered why he wasn't staying with his wife now that she knew they were married. She didn't bother to announce herself before pushing back the tent flap and letting herself in. Thomas was sitting on his little cot rubbing at his knee with the heel of his hand and looking flustered at the same time. As soon as he saw her enter, he stopped and gave her a hard look before opening his mouth. Calysta gave him a stern gaze and held up her hand, stopping whatever words were about to come out of his mouth. She had somethings to say and this time he was going to listen whether he liked it or not.

"Dad, ever since I came back to Kaereal and told you I was engaged to Illya you have been, judgmental, harsh, and down right rude," she said in Kaerelean, "You have never given Illya a fair chance and berate him even when he has done nothing wrong. He is who I chose. My husband. I respect him because he is a good man and love him. I also chose to become part of his missions because I'm capable of carrying them out. If you don't believe that, I'm sorry you don't have as much faith in me as others do. For once just trust me to make my own decisions no matter where they take me. Respect Illya enough to finally give him a fair chance, and respect me enough to make my own choices. If you can't do that we'll all be living a very miserable family life for a long time."

Before he could say anything else, Calysta started to leave and threw him a softer gaze as she did. "I do love you, dad. Don't forget that either."

*****

It had been almost 24 hours since she had last seen lllya. He had come bursting through the tent with disturbing news about Sarai and said he would be gone all night to deal with it. She'd cooked dinner for Rose and herself, gotten the girl washed up, and unclipped her delicate prosthetic arm before settling her into her cave. Rose was wiggly and a bit grumpy, wanting to know where her Wolf was. "He's out howling at the moons," Calysta replied, tucking the covers around Rose's feet. She giggled at the reply and shook her head. "No, he's not!"

Calysta gave Rose a crooked grin. "Sure, he is. That's what wolves do. Ahwooo!" Her daughter tilted her head back and gave a silly Ahwoo in return, then asked for a story. "Hmm...how about the story of the Wolf and the Little Bird?" She gave Calysta a quizzical look. "That's not a story, you're just making that up." Out of all the stories she had told Rose, this one had the most truth to it and the thought made her chuckle. "No, its a real story. Now listen. Once there was a Wolf who caught a Little Bird...he wanted to know how she flew so high..."

She had woken to an empty bed and a hungry Rose the next morning. What had been happening? Surely, she would have heard something by now? Her nerves were starting to show and she sent Rose outside to play with Ehvan's son along with Cin and Keysha to keep watch while she cleaned. The place was all too quiet without Illya. Like someone had pressed the pause button on a hologram, letting the air between the images become stagnant. Halfway through drying the dishes she heard the tent flap open and a strong arm slipped around her waist. He was safe and home. As he kissed he held her close and kissed her cheek, Calysta chuckled. " Meh beautiful. I miss yah today." She could tell he wasn't trying to start anything, he just was home and glad to be close to her. She put down the dish and held his arms to her, leaning back into his chest. "I missed you, my Illya."

As Illya told her about what had happened and moving on to Reylia, she nodded in agreement. They knew that had been the plan and now the time had come to see it through. It was going to be hard leaving Rose, but she would be in the safest hands possible between Markus and Yvonne. "Alright. I'll pack our things tonight."

It didn't take long to pack considering they had only brought what was essential with them from Nuen anyways. Calysta packed uniform pants, shirts, and socks for Illya and then rolled up her own tunics, leggings and underclothes. She made sure their gear was all set, and accounted for inside their packs, then tended to Rose's packing while Illya made their dinner. The her little girl was excited to go visit her grandparents for awhile because they drank tea and she could use her tea set even more. It only occurred for her to ask how long they would be gone when all of her things were packed up along side the pets equipment. Her green eyes widened and she gave that truly wondering look to Calysta. "Only for a little while," she assured her girl, "We'll be back before you know it. And I'll bring back a falcon feather just for you, yeah?"

With Rose asleep in her cave, Calysta pulled Illya into their little bedroom and they got ready for sleep themselves. They would be leaving so early in the morning, she doubted their little girl would even be awake enough to walk out of the moon shadow to meet Yvonne and Markus. Taking off her tunic, she realized how quiet Illya had been since returning from the city. She wondered if he might just be stressed or if something more was going on that he hadn't told her. He wasn't normally so calm.
Crawling into bed, Calysta waited till Illya undressed and then took his hand, leading him down to her. "C'mere." She laid him back to rest his head on her lap and looked over him. With gentle hands, she stroked through his hair and caressed his cheeks, all while looking into his eyes. "Your hands are golden like the sun and their work is good," she whispered in his ear, "You are my Illya, and you never cease to amaze me."

*****
The next day came far too soon and Illya had to carry the snoozing Rose out of the moon shadow door and into the cold morning air. Cin and Keysha followed behind looking lazy. Calysta tucked the girl's coat a little tighter over her neck and looked to Yvonne and Markus who were waiting just outside the hatch. They were as much her parents as Thomas was now, and it may be awhile before she saw them again, so long as nothing happened in between them. Times were too uncertain not to make somethings known. Before Illya handed over their daughter, Calysta did something she rarely ever did. Standing on her tip toes, she reached up and bound Markus in a tight hug. The older General seemed to jump in surprise, and she let him go quickly before hugging Yvonne. The woman was stiff at first, but then eventually draped an arm around her and returned the gesture.

Illya gently handed over Rose to Markus. Her little head lolled against the general's shoulder and she stirred some before tucking her head into his neck. She probably thought it was her Wolf holding her. Calysta smoothed down Rose's hair and looked to Yvonne. "Her tea set is in the bag and she has extra clothes. She'll insist on wearing her dresses to romp around in, but the tunics are easier to take off when she gets dirty." Calysta wasn't exactly sure why she felt the need to say all of these things. Yvonne was perfectly capable of looking after Rose, having raised two children herself. "Fair winds, and be safe."

Just as they were getting ready to leave, the moon door opened again and a hobbling figure stepped out into the greyish light of day. Her father had woken up to come see them off as well. She hadn't spoken to him since telling him off, other than to tell him they would be leaving for Reylia. That news had been met with a disapproving grumble and a nod. Thomas stepped over to them and his eyes gave them both a once over in silence. "Dad?" His jaw worked for a minute before he reached out and snagged her up into a tight hug. "Go do what you know best, Caly." She hugged him back tightly and then to her surprise, he gave her a pat and then let go before turning his attention to Illya. "Fair winds and...uh... good luck, Illya," he said quietly before offering his hand.

*****
It took two days for them to reach Reylia. The land before them was a startling ad beautiful combination of grassy plains broken by snow capped mountains, forests, and the occasional floating island, tethered to the land by lush green ivy vines. When their transport landed in the docks of the main complex Tikan along with 10 perfectly aligned units of Reylia Elites. Their yellow feathered caps caught the wind but were the only thing moving as they stood stock still at attention. Their long, curved war scythes pointed toward the cloudless sky. Calysta smoothed down her hair and stepped onto the ramp beside Illya who was looking over the scene with an unreadable expression. She could hear the other Chippeqouti men behind her go silent at the sight of the greeting party below and the air became tense with apprehension.

Tikan's face was set into a tight-jawed look as he barked an order in Kaerelean and the units of warriors all slammed their pole arms into the cobblestone with deep "WHOAH!" The sound thundered through the complex and an Tikan marched forward up the ramp with his red Cryn feather trailing behind him. Calysta could feel Illya tightening up beside her as the Chief stepped close and gave them both steely gaze. Then an all out jovial smile cracked over his face and he started chuckling. "Good 't see ye' General. Welcome 't Reylia." With his chuckles, growing into a hearty he laugh, he popped his fist against his chest before offering his knuckles out to Illya.

 

[Silence]

Illya was a mostly stressed out ball of nerves for the two days of travel. There was so much resting on this campaign and he would be going back to the moon shadows between these trips, but he didn't like so much of the war depending on his motions now. Wasn't anything quite like having a little pressure. Kaereleans and Chippequoti were going to be depending on him, Reylians, Urians and possibly some Terrans. If he messed this up it was going to be a disaster. The first night on the ship Illya paced from one end to another and he stopped to check the navigation and scanning panel several times. He couldn't see anyone was following them, but he still wanted to make sure that they were fine. Alarms were still set to go off if any new signal from a ship intersected with theirs.

Though ships didn't normally bother him he could swear there were rumblings and other sounds that seemed enhanced. Still he told himself it was alright and tried to go back to bed. Instead he laid in the bed and tossed and turned until Kalizda got up to make some tea. When she came back he took the cup from her and sipped at it. "T-thank yah." A part of Illya didn't want to take the tea and another part of him knew that he had to. It wasn't like he could change anything and there was nothing else to do aboard the ship. So the best solution was to sleep.

Her hair was such a soft black and her eyes a soft violet. Illya gave her one last hug. This mission wasn't a good one and he knew it. They both knew that. Isla kept her face almost clear of emotion, but he knew that small crease in her forehead. She was worried, they all were. The fight for Quoti had become almost hopeless. "I be back eh?" He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. For a moment she almost looked like she was going to cry or get angry that he was playing it all off as fine. What else could he do? Orders were orders and he was told to take the airbase. A secondary plan behind it was to have another wave go in if his team didn't make it. It was the final attempt for the Chippequoti to secure Quoti and have at least one place to fall back on if they lost the war.

A sense of dread began to build in his gut. This wasn't going to end well. There was this gut instinct that secondary action would have be taken. "I dun want ta." Groaning a little in his sleep he gave his best attempt to turn away. He wanted to go home. Isla was waiting for him and she was standing outside their door watching while he packed up. He couldn't look at her when she was watching like that. Illya shoved the last few things in and he slung the pack over his back and clipped the sword to his side. Her soft hand rubbed over his shoulder and snuck around to his chest. "Mmmm." Turning in his sleep he grabbed her hand and pushed it away. "Isla, yah know I have ta do dis." Mumbling under his breath he turned over and looked toward his men. He didn't remember Isla doing this before. She just watched from the doorway, she always had. Orders were given and he had to obey.

Calysta heard the faint sound of Illya mumbling in his sleep and rolled over to face him. If he was murmuring it usually meant another dream was coming and she reached up to his shoulder, rubbing her hand softly over his warm skin, then slid it down to his chest. "Illya...its just a dream. Come back to the present," she whispered. He frowned and then grabbed her hand, trying to toss it away from him. as he grumbled something harsh and incoherent in Qouti. The only word she truly heard was the Isla. It struck her though she knew he was dreaming of the past and couldn't helping it. She was not who he wanted to wake up to right now. Swallowing hard, she reached up and tried again, though it would probably hurt him. "Illya wake up. It's Kalizda...not Isla...come back to the present."

Huffing a little in his sleep he pushed at her hand. "Isla....Yah make dis difficult." Illya pushed at her hand again, but she was being insistent. He started to notice some of the other feelings around him. There wasn't any hot sand sticking to his face or hands, there was no ground beneath his feet. Alarmed at the realization he started to fight the covers. "No..." It wasn't the war. He was with the Ehaui and they were talking about amputating his leg. Still there wasn't enough pain for that. Had they already taken his leg! Flipping himself over onto his stomach he pushed up on both elbows. He could still feel hands, but they weren't trying to force him to lay back down. Illya crawled far enough forward to hit his head and then stopped. Opening his eyes he saw Kalizda sitting up in the bed next to him. Settling back into the bed he swallowed and then stared at the ceiling awkwardly for several moments.

This dream was different. Usually her touch or the sound of her voice woke him up, even if took a moment, but this time he just tried to shove her away calling for Isla. Telling her that she was making it difficult. "Illya...Illya ...its me. Kalizda." His hands fumbled with hers trying to pluck them away and then suddenly a panicked look arched over his face and he flipped to his stomach. If she used a more urgent tone it would only make the dream worse. Instead she sat up and tried to calm him with a hand over his shoulder. "Illya...its a dream. Wake up...please." He dove forward trying to scramble away from something and hit head on the wall before she could stop him. The blow to his head made her wince as he finally came to his sense and opened his eyes. She waited for him for a long moment in the dark, letting him gather himself and taking a moment on her own too. The things he said weren't his fault but they were making her eyes feel watery anyways, mostly because she hadn't been able to wake him, and she knew that he might be disappointed to see it wasn't Isla. "Talk to me." Was all she could manage to say.

When she spoke he chanced a quick look at her. Kalizda had only asked that the first time and now she was asking again. This was stuff he didn't talk to anyone about. He just didn't talk about it ever. There were only a few times that he said something to Isla, but it was short. After all these years could he even say anything? Illya sunk deeper into the bed and reached over to hold one of her hands. "I dun know what ta say." He felt horribly ashamed, nervous, and slightly embarrassed.

Calysta glanced over at him knowing she had two choices. To ask him or not to ask him. Maybe he could have talked to Isla better than her, but Isla wasn't here and there was no helping that, no matter how hard Illya might wish it. "I know," Calysta mumbled, as she took up is hand in hers. Rolling over, to face him, she just squeezed his hand and gazed at him for a long moment. "You were running from something. Talking about things being difficult," she whispered, "It's alright though.. It's all in the past." She knew her voice sounded weak but she cleared it and kept going the best she could. "A story hm?"

A pit felt like it suddenly opened in his stomach. She heard him? Kalizda was still trying to ask, but she gave an out and Illya knew that he couldn't make her live like this forever. Almost everyone knew what happened except her. He had kept it all as brief as possible in the past. "I need ta tell yah." Working his thumb over the back of her hand he shifted in the bed uncomfortably. "Meh dreams never go. Ets like nightmare I live over many times." Letting out a long shaky breath he started out calmly. "We make two plans. First one meh men and I destroy last base of Federation ships on our planet. Second plan meh unit fails and new unit comes behind ta finish work." As badly as he didn't want to look at her he made himself do it. Illya couldn't stand telling the story and he hated to think that she was going to feel differently about him because of it. He always felt ashamed of himself in many ways. "Isla was upset I leave for dis work. We argue and I tell her I go because I ordered. She watch meh leave and..." Swallowing he took a moment to collect himself. His hand tightened over hers slightly. "No one know how dey find out. Federation sent ships oveh meh unit and drop bombs. Dere was no place ta go fast enough. First round of bombs kill most meh men and I find communications expert and pull signal chamber. Et is better den radio and I try ta call for help den more bombs." It was more than he could do to force himself to look at Kalizda and he stared at the ceiling again. "We fail and I wake later. Cannot move meh legs much. Dere so much blood." Letting out a breath he turned onto his side. "Kalizda, dere men dat say dey dun fear pain. Some pain is worse den dying. I am afraid of dis pain." He wasn't sure if she understood, but she had a right to know that he was not the fearless man some thought he was. Not anymore. "I onleh remember some of Ehaui hospital. Et was much worse den what yah saw. Metal in meh bones..." Shuddering at the thought he turned away from her. "I am afraid of dis war. Meh men train and I train, but dere is onleh so much we can do. Maybe we still betrayed and killed den we fail and dis war maybe lost."

Calysta listened silently as his thumb brushed over the back of her hand. Now she knew the truth and he sounded so ashamed for some reason, she didn't understand at first. When he said he was afraid her fingers tightened over his. She remembered what it was like when he had the metal in his bone and she would never forget it. To see someone in so much pain, particularly Illya was so hard and while she had never felt that sort of pain she knew he had every right to fear it and another war that may cause more. How could he not? What could she say to this? They sat in the quiet of the night for a long moment till Calysta gave his hand another gentle squeeze. "It's alright to be afraid," she whispered earnestly, "It just means you've lived....and learned. There's always a chance that we'll have to face it again. But this time the Chippeqouti have allies. You have allies and you have me. Always. This war will be different because the world is different and so are you from that moment." She waited another moment before lifting his hand and leaning up to kiss his wrist. "Maybe that doesn't make much sense. But I think us going out there despite of being afraid is what makes you brave. Either way, I love you Illya." Maybe she wasn't good at being comforting or good at being a wife, but all she could do was say what she believed and try anyways.

She didn't quite get it. The fear wasn't entirely based on the fact that he could get more metal implants. A war could do that, but it could be the reason for failure, it could cause Rose to die or Kalizda. There were a list of fears that war brought and she didn't understand. If he failed, if his team failed even if they survived there may not be anything left. It could be nothing. No more family, no more friends....The list went on and on. Despite her attempts to comfort him Illya didn't feel that much better. He could at least say that now she knew what happened, but did not understand. Illya didn't want her to understand and neither did he want to think about it anymore. There was only one more thing he had to say before leaving it all alone for the night. "Ef I dun wake up yah get out of bed." Sitting up a little he looked at her with his mouth pulled in a straight line. "I dun wanna hurt yah." Once he had an answer from her he laid down in the bed again. "We jes sleep now eh?" Turning toward her again he gently kissed her. "I love yah, Kalizda."

************************************

When they finally landed Illya was feeling a little better rested, but still slightly shaken. The first night on the ship had been filled with memories of the last war and the beginning of the fateful campaign. Fighting to save Quoti. He had been part of several missions and wars on the soil. In the final years of the war it drug on and grew more intense. They were driven from their homes and into the wilderness of the desert. Tactics began to change as they were withdrawing and fighting more at home to save their last place and rid themselves of any Federation influence. Success was the fact that they held Quoti. It wasn't enough to have been considered winning the war, but at least they were safe. So much of it felt like this war. They were fighting this time to hold more than Nuen. They were trying to hold an entire organization of planets to together. This Alliance was helping in the war, but they wouldn't be any good unless he could get them together and create a common ground at which they would meet, agree, and direct from.

Once the ramp was lowered Illya stepped outside and walked part way down the gang plank. It looked like Tikan was already here with his men. Illya looked over the soldiers. They were all healthy, well formed, and looked to be in their prime. Of all the leaders Tikan was the only one Illya felt he could have possibly trusted. It was now going to be the moment of truth.

Tikan looked serious as he walked up the gang plank to meet with them. Perhaps he wouldn't fight them today, but if he was going to side with the Federation this is when he was going to tell them such. Though Illya suspected that the man was going to side with the Alliance he still couldn't count on that 100% until Tikan had spoken. When the chief arrived in front of him he held the same expression as before and then suddenly Tikan smiled and did the fist thing. Illya replied in kind and hit Tikan's fist with his own. "We have some time to talk den games eh?" That was something Illya figured would be agreeable to Tikan. A talk that for the most part Illya didn't foresee being an issue. Tikan was probably going to be one of the easier talks.

Before joining Tikan on the walk to wherever they would speak at Illya motioned for his men to be at ease. They could go where they pleased, though he figured for now they would stick close to to one another. Many of the Chippequoti would not be willing to mingle with outsiders yet after they had many experiences in the past that proved to be deadly. Having visitors to their own home was stressful enough and the moon shadow was nice since it was separate from the Urian's, but this place was foreign, and filled with foreigners that they were in direct contact with. One thing that Illya noticed was the fact that the women were not pushing and pulling each other to get closer and they were not looking at him in that way. It was good to know that they weren't a lecherous group of people. This would make dealings with them far more pleasant now and in the future.

Walking behind Tikan Illya couldn't help noticing the extraordinarily long feather that he wore. It was almost comical. Everyone hand their own idea of military regalia and Illya much preferred the Chippequoti fashion. It wasn't reasonable to run around with feathers sticking from various places. Much less a feather lone enough someone might step on it and rip the hat off your head.

When they arrived at the meeting place Illya stood quietly until Tikan appeared to be ready. "Yah already know t-that Chippequoti have come here to help yah conduct war against Federation." Waiting for a response he continued. "I have maps and much research to help yah. Chippequoti here long enough to make sure yah land is clear and den we ask yah help in pushing Federation back." Thankfully the Reylians were short and to the point with their negotiations. Something that Illya could respect and admire. He'd seen enough drawn out negotiations to make a man feel like he was dying of old age on the spot. With things being settled so quickly he grinned. Now it was to the games and he was looking forward to that far more than he was the other part of the work.

 

[aryamajor]

“Alright.” That was the only word Calysta could mumble when Illya gave firm instruction to get out of bed if she couldn’t wake him up. She wasn’t going to point out the fact that sometimes he grabbed her and that getting out of bed was impossible when he did. “I love yah, Kalizda.”

“I love you, Illya.”

Calysta kept her hand in his and closed her eyes as soon as he closed his. After a long moment, his breath grew steady with sleep again and she opened them to look at his face in the sliver of pale light coming from under their cabin door. Her mind was swimming with thoughts and feelings she could even begin to gather. He had finally told her more about what happened, and it made her chest ache. He had been a soldier going out on the front lines and doing his duty. He was afraid this war would end up like the last one. Calysta understood, in part but in others she didn’t. He had already lived a lifetime before her. Grown up with friends, loved a soulmate, and lost everything. And she was just experiencing some of these things for the first time. It was obvious her attempts at comforting him had been a failure. Maybe that’s because part of what she told him were lines she told herself to keep on a brave face all her life. Even now. She had to stay strong so he had somewhere to turn without fear of worrying her. Right? Or maybe if he had been willing to trust her with his fears, she should do the same. Maybe she should tell him how she missed Nuen and Kaereal. How scared she was for the future and how if she failed, the consequences could be catastrophic. How worried she was she would let him down somehow or already had. It might make more sense that way. That would just be a burden though, wouldn’t it? He didn’t need any more burdens. He needed peace and his Isla and she could give him neither.

Tears of frustration and hurt welled in Calysta's eyes and she sniffled in the dark while he slept, for once at an utter loss as to what to do or how to help. The rest of the time on the ship passed without incident and Calysta resolved to just be remain quiet for a time and be there for Illya if he needed it. The decision not to tell him how she felt was the safest route and it would keep him from worrying.

*****************


Calysta was glad that Tikan welcomed them so easily. He toured them around his complex, pointing out the main parts of town along with the barracks for Reylia’s Elite which was some 300 strong broken into 10 units. “Ye men are welcome t’ stay in the barracks,” Tikan said as they walked by the long building that served as the warrior house. The people of the city greeted them with friendly and curious gazes, marveling at the tall Chippeqouti and waving to them. For the most part Reylian’s were straightforward and good people. You always knew if they did or didn’t like you and this sort of greeting made Calysta confident they would be well received.

He took them over the stone bridges gapping over the wide, reed-lined river and to his meeting house first to conduct the negotiations. The place was a theatre of sorts, hewn from rough cut bricks. “Aye. I know what ye’ here for, General. I’ve been looking in t’me own research too. Ye’ show me what ye’ have and I’ll show ye’ what I’ve got.” Using a holographic map of Reylia, Tikan showed him the areas of concern. A steel mine, mostly run by Reylians but with a foreign investor, a shipping company that owned several docks over the planet, and possibly a forging warehouse that made weapons for Reylia and the Kaerelean fleets. Tikan expressed his concerns were less about the arms warehouse because those were more strictly watched. Ever since the Chippeqouti announcement about the existence of this Federation of companies, he had kept careful watch over the warehouses movements and paperwork. The Chief wasn’t about to let guns or blades forge from Reylia kill his own kinsmen.

For the most part, Illya and Tikan seemed to get along well and there was little need for a translator. Whenever Tikan was forced to use a strictly Kaerelean word or phrase, Calysta would explain in Qouti what the phrase meant. When the talking was done, it had taken a little under an hour, and Tikan nodded to Illya with a half grin. “We clean out what Federation is on Reylia. Then we keep t’ our oath and fight’ with ye. We push this Federation out’ together.” He had to ensure his territory was stable and there were no wolves in his own house before he could honorably serve the Alliance. The Chief flicked off the hologram map and his smile grew to a toothy grin. “Ye come at’a good time. We game t’day and then tonight we present t’ye food and ye get t’see the Crynalia. Ye would be welcome t’ join the event and then ye come t’ stay in me villa. ”

At the Kaerelean word, Illya looked to Calysta and she quickly explained in Qouti. “Every year soldiers from all over Reylia are sent to the capital to bid for a spot the Elite forces. There are challenges that have to be completed to earn your Cyrn feather and become a member. Only few are chosen. If Tikan is offering you the chance to participate, he likes and respects you. It’s considered an honor.”

She motioned for Illya to reply, directly to Tikan now that the event had been explained. At Illya’s answer, the Chief took a meaty hand and clapped it on the Chip’s shoulder with a chuckle. “We take’ye t’ get ready when it’s time. Ye go enjoy the festival.”

********

Calysta has always heard of Reylian festivals but never had the chance to come to one. There were always some sample games at the Flight Festival on the Kinte Continent, but not enough to get a full few of Reylian culture. The courtyard was filled with civilian Reylians as well as soldiers enjoying the festival. Multi-colored steamers hung from lamp posts and banners were stretched across the streets. There were booths filled with all sorts of games and the smell of food wafted through the air while personal flyers zipped overhead in daring displays. It seemed just like enough merriment to lift the heaviness brought on by the actual reason for their trip.

Calysta took Illya’s hand and smiled up him. She couldn’t wait to see what the festival was like and was determined she shake off their worries for awhile. “Let’s go have some fun, yeah?” She got them a two mugs of stout beer and handed one to Illya before they wandered through the festival. This first stop they made was at an archery booth. Round targets were set up several paces away and strong looking, but traditional bows and arrows. “Give’t a try, Miss Kalizda? General?” said the Reylian running the booth, as he offered a bow. Calysta raised a brow at the man. “You know us?” The young man grinned and gave an excited nod. “Aye. The Chief speaks highly of ye’ both since visiting Nuen. Ye’ prettier than he described though, and ye general is much taller than I thought.”

Calysta couldn’t help but start to chuckle as she stole a glance at her Chip. That was a Reylian for you. Honest, sometimes to a fault. “Aye, I’ll try the bow.”

She was terrible at the bow. Most of the draw weights were too heavy for her to pull back, much less aim. The Reylian man gave her a child’s bow instead, stating that she was “tinier than Reylian women but that was okay.” Calysta managed one wavering shot. The ill-fated arrow wobbled through the air and the popped off the edge of the target. “I think I’ll stick to my pistol,” she laughed lightly, “Your turn, Illya.”

He took a turn as Calysta cheered him on. It didn’t seem like archery was his strong suit, but he was still much better than she was. At least he was more than strong enough to pull back the draw weight. “You were great!” she grinned, as the Reylian handed them their prize. A little pat of black warrior paint. “This will come in handy later when we run the Crynalia.” She wrapped her arm around Illya’s waist and then guided him further down the strip. They found another booth for knife throwing, only this time there was a large target combined with many smaller targets.

Beyond that there was a pit with two pedestals constructed roughly 5 feet apart, and with barely enough room to stand on top. Reylian warriors were using blunt, wooden versions of their war scythes to knock each other from the poles as watchers took bets on who would win. Some of the children were even lining up to compete in their own right. One of the smaller boys wearing cap much too large for him caught sight of Illya passing by and stood stock still. His eyes grew wide before he bolted over to them, his split yellow Cyrn feather trailing almost on the ground behind him. He didn’t stop short of Illya though and instead, slammed into Illya’s knees. The child bounced off the Chip and fell to his butt as the cap slid over his eyes. For a moment, Calysta thought the kid might cry, but a snaggle-toothed grin spread over his half hidden face. “Pap was right. Ye’ really are strong like’ a tree!” he laughed. The laugh was the same wholehearted sound of his father’s.

**********

The real action was happening in an adjacent pit. A large ring sunken into the courtyard was surrounded by a large cheering crowd of Reylian’s, both civilian and Warrior. Some of the Chippeqouti men were peppered among them too. She could see Ehvan’s familiar face standing a good foot above the crowd, watching as two Reylian’s shirked off their shirts, smacked their oiled chests and began grappling.

The crowd cheered as the two men tried to bring each other down into a submission hold. They struggled against each other for over two minutes, neither gaining ground over the other until one of them lost his grip. The other immediately took his advantage and forced his opponent into a submission hold. As soon as the other tapped his free hand, the match came to an end and the crowd erupted into cheers. The winner received his choice of a prize between a tyrei skin blanket, a custom made pistol or a brand new war scythe. Before he chose what he wanted, the Reylian offered his hand to his opponent and pulled him to his feet. The two exchanged excited grins and a laugh, then the loser hefted himself up the stairs to meet his friends.

“Any takers for the next round?!” called the winner in Kaerelean as he waved. All were welcome to participate and the newcomers were encouraged to join too. It was good to get to know the people they would be fighting alongside and what better way to do that than a wrestling match?

 

[Silence]

Seeing this new place was enjoyable till Illya noticed that there was a lot of water. He didn't really like seeing that much water just freely floating about. As long as they stayed away from it he was fine. Tikan was right on board with most of the same information. Illya laid his map out and grinned when he saw that their information matched. However, the only difference was the weapon manufacturing and Tikan was less concerned about it. "Yah do good work. I trust yah word. Ef yah say t-t-the weapons factory not danger to yah people thhen ets good enough for meh."

At least they were agreed easily enough on the plan. For the most part it seemed that Reylia was capable of taking care of their own. Since he was here under their rule Illya was going to let the Chief do all the orders and he would take whatever the man gave him to do. If the Chippequoti were simply back up then so be it. Reylians taking care of their own was better anyhow. As they stepped out of the meeting room Tikan pointed out a Villa. Whatever that was Illya didn't know and he looked to Kalizda. Despite the fact that he thought he wouldn't need a translator it was good she came. These things came up frequently enough that he was lost. Trader's Tongue wasn't going to be enough if he and Kalizda were going to be traveling extensively. He would have to learn the Kaerelean language too. That would have to be another time. When Kalizda finished describing what a Villa was Illya nodded. "Yah offer is great honor. I hope ta prove mehself worthy of t-this honor."

It was almost embarrassing how excited the man was to see them and how many honors he was bestowing on them when they had barely arrived. Illya couldn't say that he could have offered them as much when they had come to stay on Nuen. Chippequoti lived much simpler lives in many ways. At least it was a good time of year to be here. Most of it sounded like a challenge and Illya was excited for that. "Aye, yah won't see meh men missing out on da fun or meh."

Returning to the ship briefly he found that all his men had stayed close. In many ways they liked to stay to themselves and remain grouped until they were given word otherwise. Illya gave them motion to rise. Speaking in Quoti he gave the order of the day. "Chief Tikan give yah welcome to Reylia and he invites yah to games. Go...enjoy yahselves." With that a few of them gave a hoot and started off. Most of the men stayed in groups of 2-4 and others wandered off by themselves. Games were far too enjoyable to pass up and the Chippequoti wouldn't deny themselves any kind of fun when it came in that form. Since it was just himself and Kalizda the general wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He might have tried to reach for her waist, but that put his back at a strange angle.

The first stop was for a stout beer and Illya took the mug that Kalizda gave him. Grinning a little he lifted it to his lips. Whoever did the pouring knew how to do a good job of it. There was a bit of foam at the top and Illya liked that. It was all fine till he found out it was cold. Swallowing what he had in his mouth he glanced at Kalizda. She didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with her drink. Instead of finishing the beer Illya decided to wait till it was warmer. He needed it to be good and warm before he would drink the rest of it. There was plenty to distract them and Illya carried the mug in one hand and moved his other down to hold onto Kalizda's hand. She wanted to stop and try the archery. It wasn't something he was wonderful at, but he'd do it with her if she wanted. Who knows she might even be better than him with the bow. Kalizda had a few talents that far surpassed his abilities and it was usually something to do with flying, but this could be another one of those things and he wouldn't mind if it was.

Setting his beer aside Illya watched Kalizda first. He raised one brow when she pulled and twisted all sorts of odd directions to try and get the bowstring to pull back. Opening his mouth he tried to stretch it to avoid grinning and eventually ended up just placing a hand over his mouth to hide the smile. Bringing his hand down from his face he tried to look serious when she took the little bit smaller bow. Again Kalizda struggled and pulled. A faint little grunt sounded and he put the hand back over his mouth to keep from laughing. It was such a girly little grunt, wasn't anything tough sounding. He wondered if maybe she wouldn't have to revert to laying on her back and bracing her feet against the bow and using both her hands on the string to draw it. When the man finally offered her a child's sized bow Illya couldn't hold it back any longer. The Chip started to chuckle quietly. "Yah just like a bird." It was horrible that he couldn't contain his mirth with something so small as this, but it was funny. That grunt was more than he could bear and he thought of it as she was drawing this bow to its full length and letting the arrow wobble through the air.

An almost unnatural grin was spread over his face and he took up the line for men to stand behind and accepted their largest bow which was small looking next to him. "Eh..." It took a moment for him to arrange it and Illya drew the string back and then let it go loose again. He liked to test the feel of the bow before releasing the arrow. Flexing the bow a few more times he took aim and let the arrow fly. The tip dug into the board and missed the bulls eye by a whole section. It wasn't terribly surprising, but he would have liked to have thought he could do better. "Ah well. Certainly could do worse eh?" About that time Kalizda was cheering him like he'd just hit the center of the target. She was funny that way sometimes. Wasn't quite applause worthy.

Taking the prize he smiled at the guy and dropped it into one of his pockets before taking up his beer again and Kalizda wrapped her arms around his waist. Illya took another sip and checking the temperature he noticed it was still cool. Cold beer wasn't any good. It had to be served hot. While they wandered around looking at the other games Illya snuck his arm from her shoulders down a little and held a hand on her lower back. Stopping at one place for a few minutes he watched the game of poles and scythe. Looked like a challenge and they had a good chance at beating him playing a game like that. Wasn't so much strength as it was skill and something that they obviously practiced more than he did. There was also a great doubt in his mind that he could get both feet on the top of one pole.

Moving on toward the next section of the festival Illya was busy looking for a fire to warm his beer when he felt something slam into his legs. Specifically it felt like a kid had knocked their head into his knees. Looking down at the little boy popped in the dirt he half laughed the words, "Awe...looks like dat hurt." Apparently the kid was impressed with the fact that Illya didn't fall over or even move. Letting go of Kalizda he offered a hand to the kid to help him off the ground. "Yah got pretty good tacklin skills eh?" When the boy nodded Illya smirked. "I tink yah try dem on dat guy." Pointing to some random person in the crowd Illya watched the kid grin broadly and lower his head to go charging into the next person. In part he didn't think the kid would and his jaw dropped before he started to laugh and pull Kalizda away. "We move eh?" Last thing Illya needed was to have someone find out he just encouraged Tikan's son to get into trouble.

A roar went up from a heavily crowded place and Illya walked with Kalizda to a wrestling match. It looked like there was plenty of fun going on and his men had mostly gathered here. Illya noticed that one of the Reylian's just helped another up off the ground. He must have won the match. They were very good sportsmen. The Chippequoti watched as the man challenged another and Illya decided to head over to the fire to heat up his beer. Holding the mug near the flames he waited till it was starting to burn his hand and then he tested a rock around the campfire and found it was hot enough to finish heating the beverage. A few other Chippequoti had gathered round to heat their drinks and they spoke quietly.

One of them started to whisper. "Did yah noticed dey have hair all over dere bodies. Even dere legs!"

Another one of the men shook his head. "Disgusting. What yah looking at dere legs for anyway?"

"I wasn't. Can't help, but notice if his pants are too short." Shaking his head a little he pulled his drink away from the fire and sipped at it. "Yah gonna join any wrestling?"

"Eh I dun know." Jokingly he added. "Maybe I don't get grease and instead I grab dere leg and twist a little. Take hair out and den yah can wrestle wit him all yah want witout dose hairy legs." As he finished his joke a round of laughter sounded from the men. Even Illya couldn't help chuckling a little and he checked his beer to find that it was satisfyingly warm now. Wandering over to the wrestling ring he saw that another round was finished and this time Ehvan had accepted the challenge.

The Chippequoti gave a hearty cheer for Ehvan who was braving the first round against one of the Reylians. Now all of the Chips were curious how the first round would go and Ehvan looked entirely pleased. Smearing a good coating of the grease on he made a little bit of a face, but it was part of the tradition. His bright blue eyes seemed to get a little spark of excitement in them as he watched the Reylian come in for a grab. He felt the man's arms wrap around the back of his neck and he put the man in a headlock as well and then stood to his full height. It forced the Reylian to loose his grasp a little bit and Ehvan pushed him away and got himself free before he dove down for the Reylian.

Capturing the smaller man might have been easier if it wasn't for his slick body. It was like trying to capture a fish in water. A puff of dust went up around Ehvan as he hit the dirt. The whole front of his chest was caked in sand that quickly started to turn to mud on his greasy chest. Turning around Ehvan caught the Reylian by the legs and tripped him. A quick grapple ensued on the ground. Ehvan grabbed the other warrior's arms and almost made a sharp pull back as he would on a fellow Chip when Illya and the others started to yell half in panic. "Don't break his arms!" There were times when they could be that rough, but it was only when they wrestled with each other. Carefully Ehvan toned his level of excitement back and he instead opted to simply hold the arms firmly and then he placed his one leg across the back of the man's shoulders till the keeper of the score considered it a win. In show of good sportsmanship Ehvan offered his hand to the other and helped him up.

Ehvan offered a challenge in Quoti since it was the only language he spoke fluently in. He gave a garbled attempt at Trader's Tongue. Since no one was going to take up the challenge right away Illya stepped over to the other side of the ring and yelled to him "I be dere. Let meh finish dis eh?" Pointing to his drink he grinned and chugged it down in two healthy swigs.

Setting the empty mug on the ground Illya then pulled his shirt out from the top of his pants. Unbuttoning the plain green shirt Illya pulled it off and set it aside in a carefully folded position. He hadn't thought much of the long pink scars that ran almost the length of his back and then the various other scars that cut randomly across his skin. Even the many pock marks from the shrapnel showed on his arm in the daylight. A faded scar on his side only became more obvious when he rubbed the grease on. For the most part if the Reylians were surprised by the scarring they didn't say anything, but Illya assumed they were familiar with scars since they were clearly a warrior based culture.

Fighting Chip to Chip was a little different and Illya circled Ehvan carefully. If there was one thing you had to watch out for it as Ehvan's feet. The man was quick and he had a way of distracting his opponent before tripping them up. As expected Ehvan threw a quick foot out just after an attempted grab for Illya's shoulder. Stepping back Illya felt Ehvan's boot skid across his and then he lunged forward.

Both of them went tumbling to the dirt and Ehvan brought one leg up between the two of them and shoved against Illya's chest with his knee. Illya was forced back and he chuckled a little. Spitting the dirt out of his mouth he watched Ehvan get a similar grin on his face. They were hunting each other at this point and it all a game of who could figure the other's next move first. Darting forward Illya grabbed Ehvan right under the nose with one hand and the other hand placed at Ehvan's lower back. Forcing his back up and his head back Illya sent the other Chip to the ground in a puff of dirt. Another puff went up as Ehvan's leg whipped out and caught Illya along his bad leg first and then his left leg. With a grunt the general got off the ground and twisted out of Ehvan's grasp. It was nasty having the grease all over his torso, but it helped keep the wrestling a little more exciting.

Even when he twisted Illya wasn't able to stay out of Ehvan's grasp for long and the two of them went to the ground with Illya on the bottom. Wrapping an arm around Ehvan's neck he wrapped one of his legs around Ehvan's left leg and locked it in place before turning over and holding Ehvan down till he tapped out. Getting off the ground Illya pulled Ehvan up and the two of them gave a quick nod.

Illya accepted one challenge from a Reylian and when he beat the man he helped him up and then left the ring with him. "I like ta see more Reylian wrestling." That was his excuse to get out of the ring and let more of the Reylian's enjoy their games. It wasn't quite fair since the only 2 Reylians that felt confident enough to wrestle either Ehvan or Illya had lost their matches fairly quickly and they appeared to be a bit stiff afterword. Both Chips had tried to be moderate in the force that they applied to their wrestling, but it was still enough to have possibly hurt the other men and for that reason Illya chose to try and stay out of the ring unless he was directly challenged by another Reylian or Chip.

 

[aryamajor]

Calysta watched the wrestling matches with a little more knowing than the Reylian crowd. She could tell when Ehvan got too excited or was entering into his instincts by the way he moved. She had been training with the Chips for long enough days and been dragged around enough by the man in the ring to pick on some of his mannerisms in a fight. When he pinned the man and pulled back hard on his arms, even Illya called for Ehvan to let him loose. The other Chippeqouti sometimes forgot they were heavier and stronger than the average Kaerelean, though her Chip usually remembered it by now. Usually.

Ehvan won his match and she cheered for both warriors before Illya finished off his beer and pulled off his shirt to join the Chip in the pit. He left his shirt on the sidelines neatly folded but where it could be stepped on if the crowd got too excited, so she bent down and picked it up. With his shirt draped over her arm, she watched as the two Chips oiled down and went to sizing each other up. His scars were standing out bright against his tan skin in the sunlight, evidence of his past. A small thought from the other night tried to bubble up from her mind and she shook her head to forget it. She had no doubt a match between those two would be a good show for the Reylians. As they tried to grab at one another, Ehvan struck out at Illya's weaker leg in a more vicious attack and Calysta gripped her arms a little tighter. It wasn't until the match was over that she realized her hands had wrinkled his shirt.

He went another round with a Reylian and then returned up the stairs covered in dirty and sticky oil. His eyes swept the ground looking for his shirt and she waved him down. "I've got it!" she called over the crowd. Illya's eyes snapped up at the sound of her voice and he grinned broadly as he walked over. "You're all dirty now," she laughed. The Chip gave her a mischievous smirk and then moved in like he wanted to wrap his arm around her. "Uhuh! No, no...." she danced away from him, "There's a spigot over there- she pointed to an area on the other side of the pit- I'll hold your shirt." Illya gave her a wink and the trotted off to find the spigot to wash off the muddy oils. She watched him walk through the crowd, a good foot taller than most. If she hadn't been watching his broad, bare shoulders she might have been paying more attention to the bobbing heads around him. She could have sworn there was a man with reddish hair walking and now he was suddenly gone. Or had he even been there at all. Blinking a few times, she decided to chalk up the odd scene to being tired.

While Illya was gone, another match began in the pit below. As a tall, lean Kaerelean man took the stone steps into the dirt pit the crowd became uproarious with claps and cheering. Women were giving the young man fond looks and waving while the men stomped their feet in approval. He didn't seem to notice the crowd though, and quietly took off his red-feathered hat and untied his uniform shirt . One of the women leaned over the stone guard rail and offered to take his hat and shirt and he gave it to her with a shy nod while the games master asked him something. When the short conversation was complete, an announcement was made, and the Reylian's cheered harder. A small Reylian woman glanced up at Ehvan and gave him a small nudge to get his attention. When the blue-eyed Chip looked down at her in a bit of confusion, she gave him a friendly smile. He must not have known what was said and nobody knew the tall foreigners name. "Ye've been asked to wrestle with Kitir."

Ehvan wasn't expecting to be asked to wrestle. He had tried his best not to hurt the first guy that he wrestled with. Since then Illya had decided to be cautious and warn them against taking matches recklessly. The Chip watched the Reylians wrestle and he had a good time anyway. If nothing else he would have a few rounds with some of the other guys later. During one of the rounds he went back for another beer and warmed it up. Ehvan barely returned and he noticed that the young man was challenging someone to wrestle. Oblivious to the fact that it was him he just clapped and looked around for whoever it was. When a woman nudged him he took his shirt off and set it over the rail before wandering into the ring. He smeared a little more grease over his chest nodded to him. He was ready.

The crowd went wild as Ehvan leapt into the ring. They knew it was to be a good match if it was with Kitir and the strong Chippeqouti man. Kitir continued as if the crowd did not exist and smeared grease over his chest and shoulders, before swinging his arms forward to loosen the muscles of his back. With a final nodded he took a bent knee stance, just enough to stay springing and relaxed. His dark eyes watched his opponent carefully as t the gamemaster called a beginning to the match. Kitir side stepped with carefully placed feet while he circled Ehvan, ready to see what move the Chip would make.

Since it wasn't good to always make the same move Ehvan watched the other circle him and only turned when he had to. The Chip wasn't as worried about losing the wrestling match as some might think. He had a few years of experience and it told him the best players watched their opponents. This one was a good player. For a first move Ehvan didn't use his feet. Instead he ducked and made a quick lunge grabbing at the man's waist.

Kirit let him tackle and immediately locked around him as he fell back first into the dirt, sending a spray of dust. The man was as strong as they said and he grit his teeth as Ehvan toppled on top of him, trying to gain further control of the hold. Both of them were slick through, and that meant it was hard to keep a decent grip. Kitir blocked Evhan's hands, and tried to shove him of to test how his strength matched the Chips.

With the lock it wasn't hard to get free. Ehvan simply braced his hands on the ground and he started to move a leg up to press into the man's diaphragm. Instead the other started to try and push him away. Since it would be beneficial for his move Ehvan got off and waited for the other to try getting off the ground. As Kirit was gaining his footing Ehvan slipped one leg out and gave a harsh kick for the other's knees.

Kirit went down as pain shot through his knee, and he caught himself on his hands before slamming into the ground. The crowd hissed at the blow and then continued cheering both the men on as the young warrior rolled away to gain some distance and a chance to get to his feet without being swept up again by his opponent. As he tumbled up to his feet, away from the Chips reach,and then immediately went in for Ehvan's hips. Driving his legs he punched forward with his shoulders and grabbed around his middle, keeping low.

The hit was low enough that Ehvan hadn't quite anticipated it, but he went with the fall for the moment and reached down for one of Ehvan's legs while they were on the way down. Grabbing the man by the ankle he pulled it up in the air and pulled it toward the back of the man's head. Shifting a little Ehvan placed a leg on each of Kirit's shoulders and pulled harder till he figured there was enough strain that the man would have to give in or think of something else to do.

The crowd gasped as the warrior hissed from the angle he was now bent at. The Chippeqouti man was on his back but had Kirit's ankle trapped firmly by his broad shoulder while still being grappled at the hips. Kirit couldn't keep the back bend for too long or his muscles would give out. If that happened even if he did get free, he wouldn't last long. His arms were occupied holding him up, but he still had one free leg as the pressure increased on his shoulders. He could feel creaking in his arms, despite how limber he was and the only limb he had available was his leg holding his extra weight. The a growl he dropped off his leg and kicked Ehvan as hard as he could in the head.

A sharp hit to the back of his head made Ehvan growl a little. "Yah have sharp heel." There wasn't a whole lot he could do in retaliation without damaging the fellow. So as his revenge he moved one leg slightly and dropped it heavily on the warriors head. At least it was enough unexpected weight that Ehvan was pretty sure it would plop the pretty fellows face into the dirt.

Kirit's head sank lower and lower as his muscles began to tire, but wasn't ready to give up. He tried for one more move his his free leg, and bent it back as far as it would go before slamming it down on the man's opposite shoulder. Once he was hooked at the man's neck he used the built up tension caused by his back bend as leverage and tried to force the Chip back

This little guy was surely obstinate and Ehvan could jerk harder on the leg and pop his hip out of socket, but he was strictly ordered not to hurt them. Instead he loosed his grip on the leg with one hand and grabbed the other and then rolled to the side. Pushing away from the lad he rolled to his feet and grinned at Kirit. It seemed the lad was far more tired than he was from this little match. This time he lunged with his hands again and then slipped his foot along the ground to see if he could trip the warrior up again.

Kirit rolled to his feet, ignoring the ache from his stretched muscles. They were both covered in dirty oil and sweat at this point, but the match wasn't over. He'd barely gotten to his feet when the big man lunged again and included a foot swipe at the back his heel, taking him to the flat of his back again.

For the moment Ehvan forgot himself and dropped his entire body on the man's chest. He had everything from the man's shoulder to his waist pinned to the ground. It was more uncomfortable for Kirit than himself. When Illya saw the Chip go for a full body slam he winced and just grumbled under his breath. The lad would be lucky if he his ribs were only bruised. Ehvan adjusted himself only slightly and he stared down into the other man's eyes. "Give up yet?"

Kirit felt at least two of his ribs if a decisive snap under the man's weight. It wasn't his first broken ribs and they wouldn't be his last. When the man asked if he had given up yet, Kirit gave no reply. His ribs hurt and he wasn't going to expend the energy. Instead, his dark eyes met with the man's bright blue ones in a flash of defiance as he tried to grapple into a head lock. His ribs kept him from locking it down though and the Chippeqouti man knew it. He would lose, but he would take the loss without tapping.

As tempting as it was to give the little fella another shot at this Ehvan knew getting off of him at this point without any kind reason would only insult him. So instead he remained in his place with a relaxed sort of demeanor. The other could struggle as he liked. So far as Ehvan was concerned the match was over. He waited till the game master called it and then he got off Kirit. He'd almost forgot to give the man a hand up, but turned sharply at the end and pulled the man to his feet. "Yah fight well for yah kind." Nodding to him Ehvan then jogged out of the small wrestling circle to collect his shirt and resumed drinking his beer.

****

Kirit let the Chippeqouti man pull him up, though it made an arching pain radiate on his ribs. He straightened himself, squaring his shoulders, even if his chest protested as he looked the man over. Thank ye, f' match, Seh," he said quietly to Ehvan. With that, he turned on his heels and started to exit the ring. The crowd was still cheering him because while he lost he lasted longer than the other warriors against the Chips. He dusted off his arms and started a little slower up the stairs, trying not to favor his side with the broken ribs. The woman with his clothes offered them out to him with a gentle smile and he gave her a mumbling thank you before taking them. He wouldn't put on his shirt until he was out of sight and nobody could see him. As he started through the crowd, a tall man appeared in his vision. At first he thought it was the man he just fought but this man was a little shorter and had bright green eyes.

It was at least admirable how hard the lad tried. Ehvan took it easy on him and that was good. Once or twice that urge was there to snap the little man and Illya could see it. However, it would be bad form not to recognize a valiant effort when it was made. Not to mention Illya had a certain level of respect for the man. "Yah fight well. I tink yah join Chippequoti for drink and uh..." Illya had to think for a moment. "We have sword made for yah. Never see man not Chippequoti do so well before." He sincerely hoped that the man would join them at the fire so they could take his measurement and have an order given back at the moon shadow to make one for the Reylian.

Kirit paused and looked the man over, recognizing him from the morning. He had been standing in his unit at attention when the ship carrying them landed and the large general and his petite wife exited. This man represented the Chippeqouti warriors and it would be rude to refuse a drink with them even if it did come with a certain sense of apprehension a wrestling match did not. Apparently he had done well against a Chippeqouti, though he had lost and that was noted. "I will t'ake a drink with ye," he replied, finally with a little smile, "Ye' use swords often?"

A slight grin came to Illya's face. He wondered how old the man was now. This warrior seemed to be nervous and he looked young, but then again there wasn't much judging of a man by his shy or bold nature. Even after all these years his father was still shy. "Aye, swords are preferred by Chippequoti." Pointing to Kalizda he nodded to the young man. "Ask her for some cream eh? She have some ta help if yah bruised." He knew that likely there were some broken ribs, but at least the cream would help soothe the aching a little.

The young warriors eyes shifted from Illya's face to the woman he called Kalizda, which he discovered was the name of the General's wife. She was standing there speaking to another of the Reylian warriors, a rank below him and seemed easy enough to talk to but he shook his head. He didn't want to look like he needed tending in front of so many people, mostly he just liked to keep his injuries to himself. "I tend't it later. Not'm first bruise," he replied earnestly in his somewhat botched traders tongue, "Thank ye. Ye wish t' drink now?"

Seemed that the young man felt about the same as any self respecting warrior. He wasn't about to ask for help if he didn't need it. Nodding a little Illya accepted his answer. "I t-think we have drink later. Tonight maybe?" It should be enough time for the man to tend to his bruises or whatever else that he needed to. Since there wasn't anything else to say Illya moved past him and found one of the other warriors. About that time he realized he forgot to ask for the man's name and completely forgot to give his. However, the young man wasn't there anymore so he would have to settle with finding out through other methods. Mostly listening if he could catch anything.

******

After awhile Calysta took a turn on the pedestals against one of the younger Reyalian warriors who invited her to try. "I was invited to come to try out the other pit. Come watch?" she asked to Illya brightly. He wrapped a clean arm around her before they went off to try their hand at the war scythe. One match was already going and it looked to be a good time. The two warriors anticipated each other and the set out into a flurry of fast and precise strikes until one fell or was put into a killing blow and forced to yield. When it became her turn, she gave Illya a wink and took the stairs down into the sand filled pit then walked up to the weather beaten pedestal. It towered over her at around 7ft tall and she knew it was going to be difficult to climb up. "Need a hand?" asked the games master with a small lilt of amusement in his voice. Calysta shook her head and smiled. "No, not this time."

Calysta took a running start at the pedestal and run up its length a few feet before latching her fingers on the the small ledge at the top. With a growl, and a fair but of effort, she used her legs and pulled herself up. The flat top of the pedestal was barely two feet wide. Not enough room for a truly proper stance. This game was more about precision and balance than anything and the Reylian warrior on the opposite pedestal looked well practiced at both. The games master passed up a wooden scythe to her and she took it, feeding it up into her hands. The weapon was heavier that she first thought, but she had grown accustomed to toting heavier things with the training. Spreading her hands wider over the pole arm, Calysta took a few practice swings to get used to the way the weapon moved. It certainly wasn't a knife and if it was swung too loosely had the potential to throw her off balance. Her heart started to pound with the anticipation of a fight and the gave a little nod to the Reyalian across from her. "Ye just stay right there, lit'le lady" the Reylian warrior grinned. As the games master replaced the padding around the pedestals, Calysta's eyes scanned over the crowd. She could see tall Chips mingling with the Reylian's and though there were some language barriers, it almost seemed like they were getting along. Her eyes even landed on Ehvan warming up his beer over one of the fire pits. Why they enjoyed warm beer, she'd never know, but as her eyes came back to the pit, she noticed it again. A face that had been there before had suddenly vanished, this time a woman. She'd only had one beer, not near enough to substantiate seeing things like that. Was she going crazy?

There wasn't much more time to think about it as the games master called a start to the match. The first strike was fast. Fast enough that Calysta barely had time to bring her scythe up to block the blows as the cracking sound of wood against wood echoed. Seeing that the didn't go down on the first strike, the Reylian readjusted his stance and tried again, this time taking an arching swing at her head. The crowd gasped at such a move so early on. Calysta ducked and struck out with her scythe toward his legs while she was low. He jumped, avoiding her swing and landed easily back on the pedestal with perfect balance. How did they move so fast? Rising up, Calysta decided to take on the next move, coming in higher towards the man's lead shoulder. The warrior parried and slide her weapon down his before screaming down with a counter strike at her head again with the dull edge of his blade. The wooden scythe blade stopped just short of her forehead and its wielder chuckled before giving her a gentle tap right between the eyes. The crowd clapped and cheered for both of them as the games master declared the winner.

The Reylian man leapt onto the springy padding and then bounced over to her, offering his hand down. "Ye fight with heart, lit'le lady," he grinned offering his hand, "Practice an' ye make a fine warrior." She grabbed his hands and he helped her ease the jump onto the mats, then escorted her over to where Illya was waiting on the side lines. The warrior smacked his chest and offered his knuckles to her and she returned the gesture before he disappeared into the crowd.

*****

Tikan found the leader of his guests outside the wrestling pit drinking on beers and enjoying the party. He had joined into the some of the gaming but had to leave in order to prepare for the night's Crynalia run. Now, it was time for the feast and those two would need a nice, full stomach if they intended on participating. After washing up, he'd let his wife paint up his face with the warriors paint, making hard lines over his eyebrows and undercutting his cheeks to give him a more intimidating look. Personally, he found the paint a little odd and somewhat itchy when it dried, but it was used for traditional ceremonies like the one tonight and would have to be endured. He liked the General. The man was smart, confident, but not boastful and seemed to have a good nature about him. Not keen on jumping into a fight, but performing when he must. It was a good warriors mindset kept the balance of life and death. The Kaerelean woman he had chosen for a wife, he found to be strong, but with a hidden softness. She was young in the way she looked at the world, but there was nothing wrong with it. Sometimes the world needed people like that too.

Tikan looped his arm around his wife's waist and walked up to the two with a grin. "It's time for' the feast and ye sit next t' me right side." With a small nudge forward from her husband, the thick, fair-haired woman and motioned for Illya to join her side. "Ye walk with me' yeah?" Illya gave an apprehensive look, but Calysta let him go with little brush of her hand at the small of his back. Tikan held up his own arm for Calysta to join him at his side and she stepped over with a small smile to allow him to escort her.

Many of the fellow warriors gave their Chief and his guests nods with their feathered hats or friendly smiles as they passed. A few even stopped to bump knuckles against their leaders and met them in kind with a hearty chuckle. Lyra kept her eyes on the crowd with a warm smile. She could tell the young Chippeqouti man walking beside her was still not quite comfortable. In part, she couldn't blame him. If they had hidden in Uria, he probably had more than enough of women chasing him. Their Urian counterparts were good people but they lacked discipline in certain things. "Ye can relax, General, I know how t' keep me' hands to me' self," she joked, trying to ease his tension a little. "Ye among friends. I see ye and ye men wrestle t'day. Very good. Tonight ye run the Crynalia and the compet'ion is hard this year. If ye' make it, ye earn ye Cryn feather and named a Reylian Elite warrior. If ye wife runs, keep an eye out, yeah?" Lyra had known his wife had intended on taking the run as well, but upon inspection the lady looked to be delicate and it was no competition for women like that. Still Lyra, she knew she had no room to judge. She had made the run like that and everything had turned out fine.

Tikan lead them to the meeting hall where the stands were already filling up with Chippeqouti, Reylian warriors, and many of the civilians. Children were running around in packs carrying tiny wooden swords and having mock battles while mugs off cold beer were being passed around to the the adults as they chattered. A section of the circular benches had been sectioned off for the Chief and his guests with 5 spots. Lyra walked along one side of the bench with Illya and Tikan on the opposite side, both of them motioning for the two to slide in first. Calysta slipped onto the stone bench, scooting over until she was in the middle next to Illya. The two hosts settled in on either side of them and removed their caps to set behind them. That was only proper at the dinner table. Mugs of beer were passed to them by a tall bartender carrying a try of full, chilled cups with good head of foam on the top.

More people poured into the entrance a warrior came in hauling a small boy by the scruff of his neck. The boy sported a large cap flopped on his head with a split yellow feather as he struggled against the warrior who was dripping wet. The warriors own yellow father was plastered to his cap and shoulder from being soaked down. "Chief Tikan, ye son at it again. This time ye boy was tackling people in 't the lake."

The snaggled tooth boy growled as the warrior held up firm off the ground. "Pap! I was only trying t'practice!" His voice was all but a squeak at the end, but he was giving the Reylian warrior the best fight he could with his little boots kicking at the man's toes. Tikan sighed and gave a baleful look at Lyra. Akten was a good boy, and would make a fine warrior someday if that's what he chose. He'd rather not punish him from a night the Cyrnalia was being run, but the stern gaze his wife was giving him made him realize he wasn't going to get much of an option.

"That's the third one t'day," Tikan grumbled, trying to sound as if he were totally disappointing, "First, th'man from the other tribe, then a woman and now ye picking fights with m'men. Ye've been runnin' all day and now ye' confined t' quarters for the night."

"But Pap I wanted t' see th'e run!"

Tikan, gave his wife one last look, asking for an out so the boy didn't have to miss the fun. Lyra sighed and shook her head, "Ye can clean ye' room while ye there. Yest'day I find a frog in ye pant pocket, then ye climb the watch tower an start settin' off snappers last week. Go on." The Chief grimaced at Lyra's final ruling on the matter and the boy was taken out out of the meeting hall. He would be sent a plate from the feast and watched over by his grandmother who was an old warrior herself. Calysta nudged Illya, though she wouldn't dare say part of their sons behavior had been the Chip's idea. Lyra went back to drinking her beer, but caught sight of the Chippeqouti man looking a bit surprised at her son's punishment. Perhaps child rearing was more strict in his society than in the Reylian ways. "He get his discipline, as he should," she assured the general, "M' son is a good boy but he keep'me on me' toes. Ye have son someday and ye find they are just like their fathers, hm?"

*******

A large and rare nyte beast, an animal akin to the Terran boar, had been roasted on a spit all day and carried into the meeting hall. The beast had been the source of the wonderful smell wafting through the town all day as the cooks had been preparing it, basting the meat in its own drippings for hours then using the same juice to make a vat of thick gravy. Plates of bread and butter accompanied the meat and once everyone had a plate, Tikan too and bellowed to the crowd in Kaerelean. "We welcome the Warriors of Reylia who come to compete in the Crynalia and we welcome our allies the Chippeqouti. We eat together as friends and allies should. Eat, drink, and lets enjoy the night!" Calysta leaned closed to Illya and whispered the translation in his ear so he could hear it over the loud whistles and called of the crowd.

Calysta ate nearly her entire plate of food. She hadn't realized how hungry she was after the day and her stomach was grumbling for once. The meat smelled incredible and it was so tender there wasn't even a need for a knife. Using the edge of her fork, she cut into the meat, dunked it into the gravy and popped the pink niblet into her mouth. The bread came next, and she dragged it across her plate to soak up the left over gravy. While they ate, a strong drum beat started to play and some of the Reylian warriors, both male and female circled up to dance. Reylian dancing was more of a show than anything else. Warriors took wild leaps and flips, their feet coming with in inches of each other's heads. They would kick while the other dodged in a swirl and came back for another moving in a strange blend of dance and battle. At one point, one of the warriors flipped over and over only to land a double flip onto the edge of their table, giving them all a broad grin and then running off to join the dancers again.

More contests followed, including a push up contest and another knife throwing contest until Tikan took a swig of his beer and nodded to his wife. Lyra stood, put on her feathered cap and and walked gracefully to the center of the room, shooing away some of the more rowdy warriors. At the sight of the Chief's wife, the room slowly began to quiet down and she began to speak.

"It was an age ago that Kulytra took a' challenge in order t' protect Reylia in a time of great need, runnin' through field an' forest, climbin' an' crawlin 'til she reached where'the wild Cryn fly. On the back of a wild Cryn she protected the land and taught others 't protect it. She became the first Warrior an' t'night those takin' the Cyrnalia will follow in her path 't prove their strength, their bravery, an' their intelligence. Those who make it, will earn the Cyrn falcon feather t' show their worth as a Reylian Elite. If ye are t' take the run, stand an' be seen."

Calysta translated the Kaerelean words into Qouti for Illya and then stood beside him with an excited smile. "We'll take the run and then there will be another celebration party after that." Several other's stood and Lyra turned around the room, making eye contact with each. "Ye all brave an' the finest of Reylia. Paint up and then follow the First Warrior 't the skimmers." Kirit appeared silently at the meeting house door with his red feathered cap and his war scythe clutched in his hand. As the First Warrior it was his duty to show the candidates to the starting line.

 

[Silence]

When it was time to head to the feast Tikan joined Kalizda and Illya. Everything was fine and dandy with the explanation till it came time for the escort. Illya hadn't really expected that he would be walking next to Tikan's wife. Was she like the rest of the Kaerelean type people and eager to get her hands on someone that didn't belong to her? That was just one of many concerns. So far he liked Tikan, but if the man put his hands on Kalizda the Chip wasn't going to be happy about it. Keeping his eyes straight ahead Illya walked next to the woman a bit stiffly. He wasn't liking this at all. After a short while the woman tried to put his concerns at rest and he chuckled a little with her. "Aye, ets a good ting. I dun like hands, but meh Kalizda's on meh." Illya would have continued on happily enough except that the woman mentioned something about the race. "Why yah say to watch meh Kalizda?" If there was something entirely dangerous and out of her capability Illya wanted to know. In the event that it was difficult and nothing more, then he was sure that his little Kalizda could do it.

Lyra pulled her eyes from the crowds and stole a glance up from the Chippeqouti man. He sounded like he might be offended and perhaps it was rude to assume somethings, but she couldn't help but having observed throughout the day while she ran some of the games. "The Crynalia is difficult for'a man, and can'be even harder for 'a woman. Especially when she's delicate, like ye Kalizda." One of the warriors offered Lyra a fist and she bumped it, giving him a broad smile, and then continued her escort. "If ye keep an eye out for the falls an' th other warriors. Ye be fine."

Nodding some Illya glanced at her. "Chippequoti do not control t-their agreed. Et's Kalizda's choice." It was best the woman know that he would not forbid Kalizda from this race if she wanted to join it.

Lyra nodded, sending her yellow cryn feather trailing with little waves in the breeze. The man had misunderstood in part but he might understand in time. Some things were not for her to say if they weren't clear though. "Aye, its'a good thing ye don't. Ye'd have a hard time of it, tryin' t do that with her anyways, I think," Lyra chuckled back.

"Ets same wit all women." Illya didn't know why the woman was laughing. "I never meet one dat isn't hard headed as mehself." Chippequoti women had opinions as well as the men and it was expected that at some point you would differ in thought. They were getting nearer the large building and Illya could smell the food roasting. It smelled like something he'd never eaten before, but it did have a pleasant aroma. Usually if it smelled good it tasted good too. Occasionally he would glance at Lyra though for the most part the general was looking forward to eating a little bit.

She looked up to the the tall Chip again and studied his face. He had taken what she said to an interesting turn and she could see a little of his confusion. "There are a lot of things that are the same f' women, that's one of them. Stubborn. We have t' be t' do things like bear children f' example."

This time Illya couldn't help smirking. "I know dis stubborn part of women. Et takes long time to get dem pregnant. Good t-thing I dun mind hard work. Gods make men stubborn or else dey never make woman pregnant. eh?" He loved it when he had a chance to say something like that. Usually he would get some sort of reaction from women or men. At least it was entertaining anyway. Illya figured he was probably close to getting the woman. Most of them would just stick their noses in the air and keep a chilled silence or laugh in his face like he was a sort of uneducated man. Of course that wasn't quite the case, but he didn't mind playing the part. His education wasn't quite full and vibrant since it mainly consisted of math and war, however, he had learned a few helpful tips aside from those subjects.

Lyra raised her eye brow at the General and her smile played at the corners of her lips. They were starting to near the meeting house but she was having a bit of fun now, beyond her warning. Her mother had been a nurse in such things for the old ways and she was all to familiar with the hard work of men and their wives. "Oh the hard work of men. General ye' must been workin' hard, hm?"

What he hadn't quite anticipated was the kind of response that he received from Lyra. She was a sharp woman and it was going to be an entertaining few minutes remaining in their journey. "Yes, I work very hard. Ets why meh body in such fine shape." There were still ways around that kind of comment. Women got ideas about chiding men on their bedroom activities and Illya had his way around it. Aside from the scars he knew he looked nice and it would be difficult for Lyra to agree or disagree. This was where it was fun to see how she would respond if she had anything further to say. Perhaps she would take the safe route and say that they had arrived or change the subject.

The warrior woman let out a bit of a laugh. It was hard to tell with his tone how seriously he had taken what she said, but it was good to think the General did have a sense of humor. Pausing at the door of the meeting house, she motioned for Illya to enter first. "Aye, I imagine so. Sometimes th' hard work pays off, doesn't it?"

With that Illya laughed and ducked inside as he was directed. "Someday et will pay off." The general took himself over to where they had prepared some seats. Sliding into his place he waited for Kalizda to join him. Almost immediately a drenched warrior appeared with the boy from earlier in tow. Quietly he watched as the warrior described the incident. It would have been far funnier if the kid wasn't getting in trouble. A warrior should have better control of himself. In Illya's opinion the man deserved to get dunked if he couldn't withstand one kid making a wild charge. Not like the boy was that sneaky anyway.

Lyra seemed to be exceptionally harsh. The kid was just doing what any boy would do. Perhaps it was a little embarrassing for the boy to do that when it was a festival and many others not familiar with him were present. Illya watched as the boy shuffled off to his room, wherever that was. Looking up at Lyra he tried to clear the look off his face, but she caught it and went on with her thoughts. A sheepish grin came to Illya's face and he rubbed the back of his neck. "Ehm...." Chippequoti let the children run wild because they were forced to grow up quickly enough when the time came. "I should uh...Well I might have encouraged him."

Lyra turned a little at the Chippeqouti's words and raised a brow. She wasn't aware that her son had even met met the general but man was giving her a shy, slightly embarrassed grin she'd seen more than enough times on Tikan to know he was confessing. "You told Akten 't run around tacklin' people, General?"

When the woman put it that way it sounded terrible. A tinge of pink came to Illya's cheeks and he nodded. "Uh, yup." Wasn't a whole lot he could say about that one. "Judging by deh punishment I'm tinking it wasn't one meh better ideas."

"Me' boy knocked down a man, an' a woman and now he tries at it with the warriors, ye' idea was not'ta good one" Lyra said, giving the general hard frown. Then she picked up her mug and took two heavy swallows before wiping at her mouth and starting to chuckle. "Akten is m'hard headed boy. Ye may have given him 'th idea but it was he who ran with it knowing I wouldn't approve. He likes t' test me and run when he can. Ye not all't blame. Just try not t' give him any more ideas."

Illya nodded and let the woman continue. She seemed to think that this was not normal behavior for a boy. When she finished he nodded again. "I see. Meh apologies. When I was young I want ta fight. Meh father tell meh to go peck fights and den I learn ta fight. So I peck fights wit the men I consider da biggest and meanest and even boys much older. I learn verah fast after I get some bruises."

"Ye father sounds like he trying to let experience be ye teacher," Lyra replied, "We have a similar way. It's in part why th' young warrior ye man wrestled with t'day challenged him. Ye gain experience by doing. As far a me' son goes, he's eager t' learn but I must keep a good eye with Tikan as warrior and diplomat, yeah?"

"Meh father let much experience be meh teacher." He decided after many of those fights he didn't want to be a warrior anymore and rather an explorer, but that was not what he got or became. Illya let the story end there for the time. "Yah do well wit yah son. Now I know yah custom and I nut interfere." In some ways Illya hadn't thought that it would be such a big deal if the kid really had tackled more people, but apparently it was.

For the remainder of the time sitting in the circle Illya stayed quiet and observed his hosts. They were proud, well groomed, mild mannered, and quick to laugh. Those were all good qualities and things that he liked to see. From the festival he could tell that they enjoyed and took pride in their military skills. Some of the games were foreign to Illya and others were more familiar. When his platter of food came he saw that it was full of strange foods. Most of it he didn't recognize with the exception of the gravy. Gravy just meant that it was going to be good. It smelled good and it had gravy so it had to be delicious.

Taking his fork Illya cut into the soft meat. It almost fell apart. This was nothing like the snake meat that he was accustomed to eating. Instead of staying in small chunks the meat would shred into thin strips with barely any effort. The first bite he wasn't quite sure what he tasted. There was a unique flavor and it had a strong hint of smoke to it. By the second bite Illya determined that the meat was satisfying. He was busily eating his meal when Kalizda reached over with her fork and scraped some yellow mush off his plate onto hers and then gave him some of her food that she wasn't going to be eating. At first he didn't know why she would have done that and pointed to the yellow mush on her plate and whispered, "What es dat?" Kalizda said it was a mashed corn sauce to go with the meat. Illya nodded in appreciation. He didn't really need to have mashed corn.

Looking up from his plate Illya noticed that all of his men that he could see had finished off the yellow mash on their plates. Cringing inwardly he knew that late tonight and tomorrow would be a rough several hours. For the most part the Chippequoti didn't recognize corn unless it was on the cob and they encountered foods with corn so rarely that many of them didn't even know what to look for or the variations it went under to be served.

So many of the men were busy eating and trying to hurry through their meal so that they could join the contests and games. While Illya finished his own meal he noticed that a dance had started. It was not often that the Chippequoti danced, but when they did it was with gusto. This dance however, was not very much dancing. It was more of a series of acrobatics and things that the Chips didn't do much of. These little people seemed to enjoy practicing their strength in other ways. A sudden thump on the edge of the table caused Illya to raise his eyes and he met the grinning face of a warrior that almost immediately skipped off to join the other dancers. Without a look of approval or disapproval the Chip lowered his eyes to his plate which was empty and moved it toward the center as the hosts had done and then started to sip at his drink. There were a few contest of balance, strength, and agility going on. None of them appealed to Illya so much as the upcoming race that he was going to be taking part in. The warning from Lyra made him feel a little more cautious for Kalizda's sake. She would know more about this then he would and he wanted to make sure she was going to be ok if he didn't wait for her. These kinds of races were not meant for them to run together. If she needed him he would wait for her.

The party started to slowly disperse and then suddenly it all grew silent. Illya looked around to see the reason and then he spotted the same warrior from earlier had stepped into the room and Lyra was speaking. Leaning closer to Kalizda the general waited for her to translate for him what was being said. They were finally ready for the race to begin. This was the part that Illya had been looking forward to.

One of the first steps was to smear a portion of the paint over his face. Illya didn't particularly like to paint his face with anything, but he did it all the same. Rubbing some of the paint between his hands he made a quick smear over his face. It almost blackened his already dark skin and he noticed the others had been more precise. Chippequoti only used paint to dull their skin and make it more difficult to distinguish their features as men when they were hiding in the desert, or forested areas that they commonly fought in. Following the young warrior outside Illya squeezed Kalizda's hand and leaned over enough to kiss her on top of the head. "Yab be careful eh?" Before he forgot he wanted to ask her one thing. 'Do yah want meh to stay wit yah for da race?" As he expected she wanted to run it alone and he didn't blame her.

With the signal for the race to begin Illya darted into the forest along the faintly marked trail. There was a spot that looked especially dark and he avoided it. Typically those were holes or some other unfortunate trap. So far it was proving to be easy and he was a long ways ahead of the others. His legs carried him far and fast over the lands.

A little bit of moonlight hung like a veil over the ground and illuminated only patches that had escaped the black shroud of night. Illya was about to congratulate himself on doing well so far when he spotted the large overhanging branch that was going to knock him over if he didn't do something. Jumping in the air he vaulted over it and dropped to the other side half in a pit. Scrambling out of the pit Illya cursed slightly under his breath and chuckled. It didn't seem that it would get much worse. So far it was quiet and obstacles were mainly found in nature itself.

Obstacles of nature were easy to overcome in a short race. Where skills really came in handy was the race against time. The obstacles of nature that had to be overcome in a period of months or weeks. Still quite a ways ahead of the others Illya followed the trail till he came to an abrupt stop. In front of him was a lake and that was not something he could do. Backing away from the water he started to look around for anything that he could use and then he found the vine that dangled near the cliff. Illya was going to do all that he could to get across and he wasn't about to let that ridiculous lake be the end of this race. He would run around the whole lake if he had to. Tucking the bottom of the vine into the back of his pants Illya then began to scramble up the vine and side of the cliff. Reaching the top he scanned the horizon. Thankfully the lake wasn't so large that he couldn't run around it. It meant that he would have to run hard to make up the lost time. Then he had another idea. What if he simply hung tight to the vine and jumped from the cliff. As long as he held onto the end of the vine he would start off swinging back and forth almost all the way across the lake. He might make it with a little leaning back and forward to keep the momentum going. Taking hold of the vine he peered over the edge and winced. If this thing broke he wasn't going last that long in the water.

 

[aryamajor]

The Crynalia run is what she had been looking forward too all day and she couldn't wait for the race to start. They would take the path, avoid the obstacles, and climb the floating islands to where the wild Cyrn nested, claim their birds and then come back. The tricky part was to do it without getting plucked apart by the large birds. They were the size of small vehicles and were vicious with their sharp beaks and talons. She had heard of some warriors being chased for miles by the fierce falcons for disturbing a nest.

Calysta drew lines in black paint over her eyebrows and her cheek bones quickly and then looked up to Illya to see if he wanted her to do his own warrior paint. The Chip had taken his entire pat of paint and smeared it over his face like camouflage. The effect made his green eyes look nearly luminescent in the fire light. "Looks like you have the paint taken care of," she smiled. He seemed a little quieter than usual again. All through dinner he'd been fairly quiet, of course it could simply have been there were many things going on and he wasn't comfortable in Reylia yet. Still, she had thought this would be something he looked forward to. Instead, he squeezed her hand and kissed the top of her head, asking her to be careful.

"Yab be careful eh? Do yah want meh to stay wit yah for da race?"

Calysta tilted her head to the side a bit in confusion. Why was he worried? She had been running things like this for a few weeks with his men. The only dangerous part was the climb and dealing with the falcons. She was not so great with animals, but she could handle wrangling a bird probably. "You'll have a better chance at winning if you go ahead. I'll be careful and catch up, yeah?" With a gentle squeeze from her hand, she let go so they could start the race.

Immediately the Chip left her and the other warriors far behind at the starting line. His legs were longer and naturally stronger than the others, but she was pleased to see she was keeping up with the pack much easier than she would have before. Only a few of the warriors kept pace with her because she was used to keeping up with the Chippeqouti now. Running through the moonlit grassy fields without obstacles tested their endurance and let her gain a good lead with two other warrior at her heels. The night was quiet except for the other shifting through the grass behind her. She pushed herself hard and ended up entering the treeline before most of the others. This is where it got tricky. The path was barely visible and peppered with gnarly tree roots, pits, and stones to trip over in the dark. She tripped over something in the dark and slid on her belly few good feet. "Ahoof!" The leaf scattered ground bit into her skin as one of the warriors behind her let out a hoot before leaping over her to take the lead. "Damnit." Hauling herself up, Calysta took off running again as she dusted off the leaves. Luckily, the warrior ahead of her revealed the next trap, a deep pit, and she watched him use a tree branch to swing across. He had made it to the other side easily and kept going, but she doubted even with her best jump that she could reach the branch. Rather than loosing momentum trying, she ran full force to the pit and timed her steps. Her foot hit the edge perfectly, as she launched out feet kicking over the hole. It was a brief moment of flight and she let out a wild whoop before landing....at the bottom of the pit. Rolling out of the landing, Calysta cursed and looked for a way out. Her mouth set into a grin when she spotted the tangled tree roots poking out from the side. Maybe she wasn't good at jumping, but she could climb.

Finally out of the pit, she took off running until she came across the lake. The moonlight shone over the glassy, still waters and for the first time in the race, she worried about Illya. Where was her Chip? He could handle almost anything but water. Her heels skidded in the dirt as she took a moment to look over the area. It didn't look like the lake water had been disturbed and Illya would know to avoid it, probably by running around, but it still worried her. A quick scan and something caught her eye higher on the edge of the abutting cliff. A silhouette standing there against the light of the moon, looking over the side as if waiting for something. She didn't have to guess who it was. Illya. Was he going to try to jump from the cliff? Two seconds later her question was answered when his shadow jumped from the cliff side and seemed to free fall right over the water. Her heart skipped a beat as the vine snapped him to halt against gravity and he swung outward across the lake. The vine broke at the apex pointed toward the opposite shore and the Chip hurtled like a rocket until landing the water with a flopping sound. "Shit! Illya!" Calysta stripped off her tunic to her undershirt as she ran forward toward the waters edge and attacked the water. He would drown if she didn't make it in time. It wasn't until she was chest deep in the freezing lake that the Chip stood up, having landed in the shallows. He started wading toward the shore, moving a bit awkwardly as he walked. The impact would probably leave him sore. Thank the Wilds. The other warriors dove into the lake and snapped her back to the race. Taking a deep breath, she dipped under the frigid lake water to start her swim across the lake where she could easily make up time.

***

She clambered up to the top of the hill and peered up into the dark at the floating islands above. This was the last and more dangerous part of the race the climb and then the fight. It had been a test of strength and endurance to this point, and now it was a test of bravery and cunning. Could she charm a Cryn falcon into letting her take it for a ride? To earn her feather she would. With a deep breath, Calysta started to climb up the leafy vines. There were a two others in front of her but several other warriors behind her too, as she shimmied up the netted plants, using her legs to push as well as her arms, something crawled onto her hand from the depths of the leaves. Squeaking, she pulled back her hand to find a fat spider crawling up her wrist. "N-n-no!" With a violent flick of her wrist, the spider went flying and she heard it's plump body pop against something below her followed by a surprised bellow. "Sorry!"

The commotion caused the vines to sway precariously, and every had to hold on for dear life until the motion stopped. The higher she climbed, the harder the wind pushed against her, drying her clothes and sending her hair into a tangle. She made it to the first island and looked around, finding 3 yellow feathered Cyrn already stirred up and hissing. Someone had already been up here and woken them up. Edging around the birds, she glance up to see someone climbing up the higher floating island. His weight made the vines sway violently and the whole land piece attached rock with the motions. A red feathered falcon was already peering over the edge with a beady eye and ruffled feathers. Only the most daring went after the red Cyrn. He was the only male in a brood of yellow females and he would be the most difficult to deal with. One of the other warriors thought he might try for a go at the red Cryn and followed Illya with a war cry, clambering up the vines in hot pursuit. He would challenge for the right to the red Cryn.

Calysta turned to her own task and started trying to figure out how to get the bird to cooperate. The warriors behind her had already started trying to knock each other out in order to pare down who would get the birds, so Calysta edged over to one. It studied her with with a fast blink and then gave a hiss. Illya had shown her some how to deal with animals, but she still wasn't very good with them, but going in calm was the best way from what she had seen with any animal. With a calming breath, she shuffled a little closer and held out her hand. "Shh...I'm not going to hurt you...just want to take a little ride..." The birds head bobbed then she struck out with her beak. Calysta withdrew her hand fast just as the beak clacked over the open air where her hand had been. "Not nice...." she grumbled. How was she going to do this and keep all of her limbs? Biting her lip, she thought for a moment and then started sliding off her belt. Distraction was always a good idea.

With her belt in one hand she dangled the shiny silver material in front of the bird. It's eyes were immediately attracted to it. "Here ya go..want it? You can have it.." She tossed the shimmering belt to her side and the falcon made a dive for it as if it were food. Calysta side stepped and captured up the birds long neck, pulling her feet up to latch on too. For as big as the bird looked, it felt delicate under all of its fluffy feathers and she had a hard time grabbing on to its frame. The massive bird began to squawk and tried to toss her off which attracted the attention of the other warriors who were wrestling around the other birds. "She's got one! Ye grab her before she can take off!"

Calysta started to panic. She couldn't take on 4 warriors and a damned bird at the same time! Buried in Cyrn feathers, she heard the sound of boot falls heading toward her. "C'mon bird! Fly!" With a little jerk, she plucked one of the little underling feathers from the birds skin and it gave a piercing cry. The boot falls stopped as the birds wings spread and gave a hard flap. The air pushed by the strong wings, slid some of the warrior back in a flurry of Kaerelean curses. As falcon gave another angry squawk, it shook down its feathers and then leapt from the floating island. They seemed to free fall for what seemed like ages, the wind threatening to rip her from under the birds neck.

Her scream turned to a tentative laugh as the falcon brought them into a steady glide. She'd actually managed to wrangle one! Untucking her head from the bird's soft feathers, Calysta opened her eyes and met the world from high above. They were gliding along above the trees and in the distance she could see the shimmering lake, the soft lights of the town, and the ground zipping by. Of course, the view was entirely upside down as she dangled from the birds neck, but it was no less thrilling to see through the whipping tendrils of her pony tail. She laughed as the wind whipped past her and her heart pounded. It probably wasn't how Kulytra had ridden her Cryn by any means but it still worked, right? There was another falcon cry from somewhere above her, but she couldn't see who was flying along with her. She hoped it was Illya. He had probably tamed the red Cryn without any issues like he did every other animal.

Now the problem remained on how she was supposed to get down. Eventually the bird had to land...

 

[Silence]

There wasn't time for Illya to stand around and be indecisive. He could already hear the other warriors gathering below and one or two had started into the water. Taking hold of the vine near the bottom of it Illya then stepped back a few steps before running forward and launching himself over the edge. He couldn't go back now not matter how much he missed the feeling of land underneath his feet. Wind rushed past his face and though it was barely past a few seconds it felt like forever. The Chip didn't dare close his eyes and at the same time he hated that he could see the water getting closer and closer to himself.

Suddenly the vine jerked awkwardly and Illya bounced with and swung out toward the further shore. He was almost there and then it snapped. That voice screaming he knew wasn't his. He was too scared to scream. Illya's vocal cords had locked when he felt that vine give way. The water was one thing that a clear mind and hard work couldn't get him out of and he knew it. About time he thought he might have some sort of control of his vocal cords he opened his mouth to breath in, turned his head to the side and then SPLAT. Hitting the water wasn't smooth in the least. He felt a sharp sting run all across his body and even half of his face. Even though he had started to try and tread the water he was already sinking and the Chip kicked the water violently. There was only slight progress, but as he twisted to put his head toward the top he felt firm ground underneath his feet. It was more than relieving that he had actually made it far enough with the vine and the last time he was going to do something like that over the water.

Waves of water dripped from Illya's head and he shivered as the cool air hit his body. His bones almost ached with the cold and his muscles tried to cramp with every step. The water lapped hungrily at his heels and sloshed with the announcement of more men swimming toward the shore. There wasn't time to waste. Illya began jogging again despite the ache in his leg. The water was cruelly cold and he hated it. Thankfully the more he moved the better he started to feel and the heat started to run through his body again. Suddenly it was like the sky opened up and there were little floating planet type things with vines hanging from them. Hanging just over the edge of many of these floating planets were feathers. Most of them were yellow, but there was a lovely red just a little further. Illya wasn't going to run this whole race to settle for second best. If he came here to win then he came here for only the best color and he liked the red far better, besides it seemed to be more rare then the yellow and that should make it a better prize. Nothing worth doing should be done with carelessness or half effort.

Racing to the bottom of the floating nest with the red bird Illya started to climb up the vines. He looked behind himself from time to time. There were others climbing for some yellow bird nests and he continued toward the top of his. The Chip was almost there when he felt someone grab his right leg and he was already sore from the cold water. Letting go with one hand he was able to slide a little more toward the one pulling on him and he kicked hard at the hand and arm that had grasped his leg. A grunt sounded and the man let go so Illya began throwing one hand over the other again and hauled himself up the rest of the way.

So far it wasn't getting any easier. Almost as soon as he reached the top of the nest the giant bird puffed its chest out and flapped the wings toward him. The wing caught Illya in the head and he started to fall out of the nest, but managed to catch himself on the edge of it. Momentarily his vision had gone black. That thing had a serious hit when it wanted to make trouble. Screeching at him the great red bird loomed over Illya and then ducked its head to peck at his body. Rolling in the nest Illya came up under the bird's chin and hit it. "Yah lousy bird." Cursing and grumbling under his breath he ran circles in the nest trying to outrun the enraged male and find a way on its back. His opposing warrior was promptly knocked from the nest during the scuffle before he could even get his feet inside. Illya was alone again and he was determined to get the bird.

Illya ducked and the bird missed him with its wings. This was the one chance that he was going to have at mounting that bird and he'd take it. Leaping for the bird he stretched his arms out and then saw that the falcon had decided to take flight. His fingers took hold of a good portion of the bird's pelt and Illya's legs rested on the Cryn's tail. Already the bird was shifting to a sharp angle and he wasn't so sure he'd make it, but he was going to hold on. As the animal tipped so did Illya and it started to falter in its flight.

The Cryn corrected itself with a dismayed screech and flew steady, but higher in to the air. Illya slowly began to work his way up the bird's back till he had wrapped his arms around the bird's neck. While it was flying smoothly he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small meat cake. Falcons were meat eaters and it was something that the creature wouldn't be able to resist. This was going to be one way to get the bird to go down. Already the creature could smell it and began to turn its head. Illya threw it ahead of himself and the bird then gripped onto the animal's neck for dear life. Diving downward the bird raced for the bit of meat that trickled through the night sky ahead of it. The Chippequoti general plastered to its back and the cool night air blowing through his clothes. When the bird caught the meat Illya tossed another piece out to the side. He wanted to go that direction and so far he was getting the animal to be on a working relationship. So long as he had bits of meat in his pocket he could control the bird.

Wherever the other birds went Illya tried to throw the meat in that direction until he noticed there were other bits of meat being tossed into the air. They had to be nearing the landing field. His falcon flew toward the ground so fast that when it landed Illya was catapulted from the bird upon landing. Unfortunately the momentum from the bird stopped, but Illya was still just an extra weight and he flew over its head. A puff of dust went up around him a pebble that felt more like a boulder dug into his back and whatever little bit of bush he landed on was in shambles beneath him.

Slowly getting up off the ground he grumbled and ran his hand through his thick mass of dark damp curls that were now hosting thousands of little chunks of wood, red down feathers from the bird, dirt, and a few leaves. Tikan presented Illya with a red feather and he grinned broadly through his streaked black face paint. It wasn't oil based since it was only partially intact after his dunk in the lake and fight with the bird. Quietly he waited for Kalizda and grinned the whole time like a school boy. His white teeth looked almost brilliant against his face that was still streaked with black paint. His little bird had won a yellow feather and that was no small feat. Afterword Illya made his way back to the village with the others. There was more drinking and partying.

Many of the Chippequoti gathered around one fire to drink and Illya beckoned for the young warrior that wrestled Ehvan to join them. "Yah have drink wit us?" He fully expected the lad to have at least a few rounds with them and then they would break out and join the others again. First they needed to get a measurement of the warrior so that they could order a sword for him. One that would be made by Chippequoti craftsman and in the exact, but shorter details of their own. Illya would need to get one for Tikan too. The Chieftain had more than earned the respect of the Chippequoti and shown himself to be a good warrior. However, there would be a bit more to it than a sword after they cleared Reylia out of Federation.

When the young man joined them Illya motioned to one of his other men and they ran over with a little stick that extended with several markings. Ehvan wrote down the measurement on a pad and clicked send. Immediately after he finished the other collapsed the stick and shoved it into his pocket. Another one of the men brought a drink for the warrior. Illya disappeared for a few minutes so that he could retrieve a flask of the heaviest Chippequoti alcohol that he had packed in his bags. When he returned he poured a liberal amount into the young warriors mug and then passed it around to the men. Only some of them had some and what remained he offered to Kalizda before putting the rest into his mug. "Yah fight like warrior and yah drink like one now." Chuckling a little he lifted his own mug and took a large swig from it.

 

[aryamajor]

At first they had thought someone had fallen of when the bird was captured up by two of the personal flyers and brought to land the field where Reylian warriors waited with Tikan and Lyra. The pilots hadn't seen her buried in the feathery neck of the bird at first, but when the falcon was bated and brought down lower to land her arms had given out finally. The bird bounced across the grass jarring her entire body, as she tried to keep holding on just a few seconds more. With every skip of the birds feet her voice wavered. "Ehuh...Ehuh...Ehuh...Just...stop..... already!"

The bird shimmed to a halt and she let go, plopping down to the ground with a less than graceful debarkation. From the flat of her back, Illya's face had appeared and she gave her Chip a wild grin. His face was smeared with melted paint and dotted with fuzzy red feathers, some of which had tangled into his scattered dark curls. How was it he still managed to look so good even after such a run? "Made it," she laughed breathlessly. Her Chip gave her a proud smile in return and helped her to her feet. She was definitely going to be sore from the fall and the awkward flight, but it had all been worth it.

Calysta stood covered in feathers, weeping war paint and with only half the clothes she started out with in front of the cheering crowd. She hadn't been the first to land. Illya and another warrior had come in before her, but she felt accomplished in just having not been one of the warriors who hadn't made the cut. 2 more of the warriors landed, one of the men who had started the scuffle and one of the women who had managed to survive it by giving the other a black eye. Tikan lined up all of the successful men and women, then began handing out the feathers. Kirit quietly held the prizes in a small bundle laid over his arms while his Chief went to each successful warrior and bestowed a long, feather from the bird they had ridden in on. The chief gave Calysta a warm smile and a chuckle before holding out her yellow feather. She took it proudly and the crowd cheered as he stepped over to Illya. Tikan reached over and selected the red feather among the yellow pile and presented it to the Chip with an approving smile. "Ye earn ye feather, General.” Calysta grinned at her Chip, proud to see him accept his feather for a few different reasons all combined into one.

When they were released to go party, Illya took her by the hand and they joined most of the other Chippeqouti around the fire. She tucked the long yellow feather into her glossy black pony tail and sat close to the flames listening to the men as for how the race when in fast Qouti. It was cold out and Calysta had lost her black tunic and belt to the race, leaving her in the air dried undershirt and leggings. Normally, she would have worried about getting sick, but that was a thing of the past. When the young Reylian warrior came by in his black uniform and hat, he gave them all a small bow with his scythe resting in his hands.

"Yah have drink wit us?"

Before he could really answer Ehvan came over with a rod and started measuring the man. At first his head was on an alert swivel, but when he saw it was just measurements, he seemed to know what the purpose was and relaxed. Though Calysta had no idea why he was being measured.

"Aye, come 't have'a drink with ye," he replied, taking off his red feathered cap. On further inspection it, the man had a young face with thicker, thoughtful brows, dark eyes and dark brown hair, sheered on the sides. Calysta smiled and handed the boy a mug, while Illya poured him up a drink, then passed her the bottle. "I saw you wrestle earlier. You were really good. What's your name?"

The warrior took a sip of the drink and coughed into his cup a little, trying to clear his lungs from the strong smell. "Kirit." A quiet moment passed and she wondered if that's all the man was going to say, until his eyes scanned over the group. "An' uh....thank ye, Miss....Kalizda." He was sure he had the name right, though the awkward stares continued until he took another sip. "Ye did well in the Crynalia too..eh both of ye. "

"Thank you, Kirit," Calysta smiled. She took a sip of her own mug and nearly choked. What was this? Turning her cough into a throat clearing, she sniffled and tried it again. Smooth with a burning after bite. Wilds only knew what it was made of but it was warming her up at least.

All was quiet and she sensed either the man was nervous or just shy. "So, when did you earn your feather?" Calsyta asked trying to break the ice.

"Last season."

Minimal answers made conversation tough and she heard a comment regarding the man being too stiff and in need of relaxing in more ways than one quipped in Qouti behind her. She took another biting dose of the liquor and tried again.

"And are there different ranks among the elites?"

"Aye. Regular Elite make up' a unit. Then lieutenant in unit an' captain. For a season, a First Warrior is also chosen 't lead a group of units if necessary."

Calysta could feel the warm of alcohol spreading over her as goose bumps prickled her bare arms. The young warrior seemed to glad she stopped asking questions so he could stare into his mug rather than speak. Why was it that all men seemed to hate questions unless they were the ones asking? With another good gulp of the liquor, she decided to let someone else give talking to the young man a whirl.

Kirit took another sip of the liquor and let out a long breath into the cool night air. The drink went in smooth, but had a bite to it going down the at the young warrior had never experienced so strongly before, even when drinking a little with his unit. It did warm him up though and his cheeks grew pinker with the flush of alcohol. Or was that the fire? He was having trouble telling which was the cause as he looked at the other Chippeqouti men around him and the little woman who seemed to be at ease with them as if she were one herself. One of the Chip men asked in broken traders tongue how long he had been training to join the Elites and he furrowed his brow in thought. It seemed like a very long time ago now that the really considered it, though it wasn't in reality. "M'brother is older, an' he trained and went 't compete a few years b'for me," he replied in haphazard traders tongue, "I train...since I was seven or so with 'the wrestlin' an' scythe."

At least the young warrior was semi decent to talk to after he had a drink in him. Illya sat back and listened while he sipped at his drink. He wasn't feeling all that ambitious, but it was getting hot by the fire. Heat from the drink was one thing that he liked the side effects of. Sounded like the guy trained since he was little and that was good. "Good ta hear." Nodding a little he sipped more at his drink and then looked at the others. "Outside now eh? Maybe by docks?" There were a few others out there and they couldn't exclusive all night. The men nodded and followed the general toward the dock where many of the others were gathered around drinking and talking. Illya glanced at Kirit. "Yah choose ta be warrior?"

Kirit walked a bit lazier than his normal focused pace and took another good sip of his drink. The night air felt better away from the fire, bracing cold against his hot nose. The question from the General seemed strange to him though. Men had their reasons for joining and he was no different, but it was always by choice. "Aye, I choose t' be a warrior. A good thing t' study so ye can be prepared. Ye don't look t' break the' peace, but ye always ready. Pap told'm war is a circle...uh..." the young warrior paused, trying to think of the proper world in traders tongue and shook his head, "A..it comes an' goes like'a tide. Ye must be' able 't take 'the low with'the high, yeah?"

It sounded like the man was at least reasonable. That should be expected when you had a well rounded warrior. "Yah father wise man. Stick to his advice and yah do well." There wee amazingly some things that other races who lived such short lives did learn. Somehow they managed to get snippets of wisdom across in their short years. Illya considered himself a young man and still with much to learn. Perhaps there was something to be said for the shorter lived races. "Yah like ta train wit Chippequoti? Meh men like yah." He knew they did because they were more than willing to follow him out and a few were hanging closer as if they wanted to talk with Kirit as well. Mostly Ehvan and that was a good sign. If Ehvan accepted him many others would by default.

The request surprised Calysta. She had never heard of outsiders besides herself training with Chips and that was a big step, especially for Illya. The man who once told her they didn't need outsiders at all.

Kirit's eyes widened, betraying some of his youth. He had watched the Chippeqouti men go to gaming all through the afternoon and wrestled with one to test himself as well. They were strong, but weren't just fighters. They were well-versed in several techniques, a few of which he was not as familiar with. To be asked to train with an ally was a sign of camaraderie and an honor he would take happily. It was also good to broaden your knowledge too. The more you know, more likely you survived in this sort of work. "I would like 't train with Chippeqouti," he said, probably a little too quickly. It was hard not to show his excitement when he could feel it buzzing in his head. "I still have much t' learn, yeah?" As they walked along the bridge to the docks, a few of the Reylian women giggled at the young warrior and he ducked his head a little in a shy greeting, almost immediately going quiet again.

The world was starting to feel a little fuzzy, even in the cool air away from the fire. Calysta could feel the cobblestones clacking under her boots but the motion of walking was a bit lost to her. When the girls passed by, giggling at the young warrior, she couldn't help but let a sly little grin come to her lips. The man seemed as shy as Markus almost but he had a much more youthful response than the eldest Chip General. For a moment she wondered how young he really was, but the thought floated away as she listened to Illya reply.

There was nothing more pleasing than to see the man's eyes light up. Illya grinned slightly and sipped again at his drink. "Yah learn some more eh. Ehvan likes yah spirit. He tinks yah have good strong will and maybe enough to learn witout quitting." That was an important factor. "Et takes a bit ta get his attention and make em mad. He thought yah should give up, dis not yah people way to admit defeat and ets good, but not when yah train. Chippequoti tink all dis exercise is just like training. Games like training. We use yah customs here and yah learn our customs when yah train wit us eh?"

At first Kirit wasn't sure which of them was Ehvan, but as the General spoke, he surmised that was the man he must have wrestled against. The man had great strength and was smart in how he used it. Training with him and the General would be a welcome challenge and he was sure to learn alot. Tikan would likely approve of a transfer to the Chippeqouti unit if he asked and then he could go to where the men trained, wherever that was now. With another sip of the alcohol, and for the first time of the night, broad grin stretched over his mouth so big it touched his dark eyes. "Aye, I learn ye customs as ye learn mine. Ye like 'the scythe an I show it, if ye want too." As the rounded the corner a group of Reylian warriors, one of which was sporting his new Cryn feather hat, gave the men a call a howling call and spoke in Kaerelean. They chanted something and invited their new allied over for a drink. Whatever it was they said, made Calysta bite her lips and Kirit wince just a little. "They say ye call ye the Flying Strider," Kirit said, "Ye belly flop on'the lake look' like a flying water strider, yeah?"

The general grinned when the man offered to show him how they trained with the scythe. "Yah teach us yah ways too. We like da sword yah have." For the most part Illya didn't like to handle weapons unless he knew how. They were just coming around to the dock and there was some chanting going about. Illya had no idea what they were saying and he wouldn't have asked. For the most part he figured it was for the lad. He had made a good show. Turned out to be in honor of his painful water landing. Illya couldn't help chuckling a little. "Eh probably." A sheepish grin spread over his face and he sipped the drink again. "Yah'll jealous yah dun tink of going across water so fast as meh. Dats what et is."

The men chuckled and held up another jug of spirits, inviting Illya and his group to share in the drink. "Aye it was faster, but I'm willing 't bet it was'a bit more painful," chuckled the brand new Eliter Warrior. One of the men behind him whistled and clapped his hands together in a firm splat sound. "S'pose 't swim, ye worried it was 't cold for ye nethers?"

Calysta bit her lip again, stifling a giggle. Once she realized her Chip was okay, the whole scene had become rather funny. General Flying Water Strider. It was made even funnier by the red down feathers floating around in hair now. A few thousand more of those and he might have made it to shore with his inventive but wild attempt. The thought made a small, delicate snort come out and she clamped her free hand over her mouth.

Naturally they all knew it was painful and Illya smirked. He was trying very hard not to admit that, but they caught on and he knew they would even if he didn't want them to. The clap made Illya jump a little and he shook his head when he stared at the man. Tipping his mug he sucked the last of the drink out of it and then looked at the one accusing him of chickening out because of the temperature. "Nah, I dun swim. I get wet anyway and ets cold."

A murmur went through the group and the Reylian warrior furrowed his brown in a mix of confusion as he poured the Chip another drink from the jug. It was nice stout grain liquor they had all been enjoying and it looked like the Chips would like a taste too from the looks of the cups in their hands. "Ye mean ye don't like 't swim or ye can't swim?" he asked curiously. Even Kirit looked to the Chippeqouti general on this question with tilted head. Would a warrior not know how to swim?

It was safer not to say directly that he couldn't swim, but an idea would work well enough. Illya didn't really like water and he was standing near the edge of the dock to get his refill. "Eh...I dun like swimming cause I swim like rock." Laughing he figured it should pass as a joke and at the very least as him having a sense of humor.

The warriors looked at him like he was joking at first and shook their heads. "Ye just never had'the right teacher, yeah? I'll show ye how m' Pap taught me." It made perfect sense to them. You learned best by doing, even if it was intimidating at first.

*****

Calysta padded over to the bed in shorts and a tank top. Tikan had given them a nice room in his villa, with a large round bed piled with soft, silky pillows, and a good warm blanket. The room was made from the same stone as the rest of the house and tended to trap the cold night air, so a fire had been lit for them in the fire place across the room to keep the chill away. Calsyta was glad to have it making the room glow and smell like a campfire on top of the heat it provided. It had been a wild night with the scratches and bruises starting to pop out as evidence of their adventures. Climbing into bed sounded like a welcome end to a good day. The only thing that would have made it better was if Rose could have come too.

Calsyta had managed to wipe down her face and comb the yellow feathers out of her long hair before retreating to the where found Illya already settling into one side. The Chip had washed his face, though the second dip in the lake had pretty much taken all of the paint off, and had head full of scraggly red feathers. She would need to get those out of his curls in a minute, but she wanted to give him a minute to relax before she went to preening him like a little bird. He was looking stiff as he sat down and she could see the pale pink scars standing out bright on bare back in the fire light. Calysta slid onto the bed and shimmied her way across the silk sheets over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist before kissing his shoulder. "Hmm...You were great today, but are you okay?"

 

[Silence]

There wasn't much warning. Illya took another sip from his drink as the Reylian men all looked around at each other. For the most part generals were the exception to some rules and he didn't figure that they would be putting their hands on him. Instead as soon as he lowered the mug from his lips the man gave an odd sort of statement and Illya frowned slightly. Teach him? Teach him what? That was answered in a split second as the man pushed Illya off the edge of the dock. Alcohol from his mug flew out over his shoulder and he dropped it before he hit the water in his attempt to grab for the edge of the dock, or anything else.

Unfortunately because of the angle he had been pushed off the dock at Illya couldn't grab anything and it was definitely a deeper end of the water. He was sinking fast like usual and he couldn't feel anything immediately nearby. At this point the best thing to do was stay still. The Chippequoti men on the dock would know what to do.

For a split second the Chippequoti men stared at the man who just pushed their general into the water. A few drinks or not they were going to be taking action. "Get rope!" One of the men yelled as two of the men started to unwrap rope from the dock's supply. Taking one end of it a man pulled a flashlight from his pocket and fixed it to the front of his shirt then tied the rope around his waist. "Pull meh up when I tug 2 times." That usually meant that they had the rescued one in tow. As he stepped to the edge the warrior almost hesitated, but he knew there wasn't a lot of time to think about it. Longer that they waited the further the general would sink and that meant the harder it would be to get him out. Diving into the water the Chippequoti pushed himself down into the water as fast as he could and then started to take his flashlight out.

The light flashed over Illya once and he could see it well enough to start trying to swim that direction. When it rested on him again he pulled himself toward the light though he was still gradually sinking a bit deeper as he went. Finally he had to stop because he was out of breath and just trying not to breathe. His fellow elite soldier swam a little harder and pulled him closer. Once the other was in reach Illya pulled himself closer and held on while the fellow Chip tugged on the rope.

Above the surface the men heaved and pulled at the rope. Ehvan was near the front of the rope pulling as hard and as fast as he could. Looking over at the man that pushed the general into the water he shook his head. "Chippequoti dun swim. Our bones too heavy." He had no idea what Kalizda had said to them, but he figured it was as fine a time as any to explain since they just about drown Illya. It wasn't long to enough to consider the general lost, but he wouldn't be happy when he came out either. Within a few moments the two dark heads appeared just above the water and they pulled a little more so that they could get their hands on the docks and then they let the two men haul themselves out the rest of the way.

Illya was still gasping for breath by the time he had himself solidly on the dock again. He looked toward the man that had pushed him into the water and he frowned. "Yah jes dun listen verah well. Ah say I swim like rock." Making his way over to the warrior he narrowed his eyes slightly. "Swimming not so difficult for yah." As tempting as it was to punch him Illya knew that no real harm had been done to himself though there was potential. "Next time tink wit yah head. Yah know nothing of Chippequoti. Remember dis eh?" Taking the mug from the slightly stunned fellow Illya set it aside. "No use wasting good drink." With that he pushed him off the dock. "Now I watch yah swim like yah father teach." All of the Chippequoti started to laugh. Part of it was relief. No one knew exactly how angry Illya would be and how he would react to this particular circumstance. It was at least fair to say that he had done his best not to cause an issue where none needed to be with a new ally.

When the man came back cautiously to the edge of the dock Illya offered a hand and helped pull him out of the water. Giving his mug of alcohol back Illya smirked. "How yah nethers feel now? Not so big I tink." Another round of laughter went up from the men and even some of the Reylians. Since there was little else to do near the docks Illya started to work his way toward shore with a squish in every step. His boots and all his clothing were water logged. Migrating back to the fire he stayed near it till he was dry and drank a little slower. Last thing he wanted was to be too drunk to make love with his agreed.

***************************

They were finally settling into the bedroom for the night and it was luxurious looking to say the least. An entirely different kind of luxury. Illya had never seen a house like this. The sink had a mirror over it and he hadn't really used it. For the most part Illya wasn't accustomed to looking at himself in a mirror and he just wanted to get all the rest of the black stuff off his face before bed. Last thing he wanted was to leave dirty marks all over the bedding.

Wandering to the bed he started to strip down while Kalizda did whatever it was she wanted to in the bathroom. It was actually very nice to have a bath house so close and private. Almost like being on a ship, but better. After he had everything off but his boxers he stared almost blankly at the wall in front of himself. He was a little tired and he couldn't quite turn brain back on for the moment. There just wasn't quite enough energy left to think about getting into the bed. Then Illya remembered that he probably needed to hang his shirt over the tub to let it dry. He'd barely got a view of the bathroom when Kalizda came out of it and she'd hung up his shirt and pants. All things that he would have eventually remembered. Wandering back over to the bed he barely sat down and Kalizda wrapped her arms around his waist.

Carefully peeling her fingers away Illya scooted into the bed. "I feel fine." Then it occurred to him that he had an audience and one that didn't speak about these things, but she would be sympathetic. Since he'd already made a statement it was safer to move on and then just say he would be fine afterword. That all made sense. Turning in the bed slightly he let her see his bruised chest where he took the brunt of the impact with the water. "A little sore." Even the part of his face that hit the water stung a bit when it was touched. "I tink meh leg es sore and meh head hurts. Even meh back." Making a little scowl he shifted a bit in the bed to get a tiny bit closer to her. "How es meh little bird?"

Calysta frowned a little at her hands being peeled away and sat back on her knees as he climbed into bed. Maybe he was sore enough he didn't want to be touched. She could see the bruise on his chest and the little pinkness to his cheek now that the paint was gone. Probably the side of his face he landed on. Hearing actually admit he was a little sore was a surprise, even if she could tell he was on her own. If he was tender to the touch, she would just fix his hair and let him rest if that's what he wanted. "I..." she began with a small chuckle as she reached up to lift a feather from his curls, "Have a few bumps, but it was well worth it. I can bring you some tea to help you sleep if you want. Might help relax some of the soreness out, hm?"

The last thing he wanted was tea to sleep. Even if he was tired out and ready to fall asleep right now Illya had enough energy for a few other things. He could make the energy if he had to. A little frown came to his face when he saw her fingers pull away from his head grasping a red feather between her tiny fingertips. "Preening meh like a bird eh?" Bringing his own hand up he felt his hair. It was the same place he usually did and there was a feather or two he hadn't noticed before. Pulling one of the feathers out he grinned and pushed it into her hair. "Looks good on yah."

He avoided the question about the tea, which meant he probably wouldnt drink any even if she went down stairs to make it. When he realized his head was full of feathers he ran his fingers through his curls, setting a few more loose onto the pillow and then pushed one into her hair. Smiling at the preening comment and the bright, almost pink feather wafting in her hair, she reached up and plucked another from behind his ear. He was giving her his playful look now and she fully intended on making the most of the mood. "Not a bad look for you either. Red is my favorite color on you anyways." Holding the feather between her fingers, she tickled his cheek with it, before adding it to her own hair. "Now we match."

Illya started to pluck the feathers in earnest out of his hair while Kalizda played with the feathers in her own hair. "We pull et all out and den I check yah over. Make sure yah really ok." A smirk came to his face and he pulled a few more feathers out of his hair. She had been tickling his cheek and he would occasionally lift his hand to brush it away though he didn't mind too much.

"Oh, I see. Have to make sure yourself?" He kept brushing her feather away on his cheek, and she chuckled, eventually abandoning the feather to pluck a few more from his hair. "It's faster if I help," she winked, "Though the bed does look a bit like a nest now." With a little puff of air, she sent the free feathers to the floor. Once the last feather was removed, she gave a coy smile and leaned down giving him a little peck on the lips. She didn't want to push him too hard if he wasn't up for anything.

When Illya couldn't find anymore he tilted his head and let Kalizda finish her preening. She blew the feathers off and gave him that look. "Yah know when yah do t-that I can't say no." Even as she leaned back he followed and leaned over her to kiss her gently on the lips. "I proud meh little wife?" He somewhat asked to be sure he was using the right word. "Meh little wife she es strong as Reylian warrior." Wrapping one arm around her shoulders he lifted her up to himself for another kiss. "So beautiful." Working his way over to her ear he nibbled gently at the lobe. "I love meh Kalizda more den anyting in da world."

Calysta gave an airy giggle and shook her head. He couldn't resist even if she didn't give that look most days, but she wasn't about to point that out. When he lifted her up she slipped a hand around to his back and let her fingers play over his skin. He was proud of her and she was more than proud of him for everything he had done that day and more. As he nibbled, and whispered in her ear the words that she usually loved to hear felt strange. Not that she didn't believe them, but they felt a little bittersweet after the other night. Biting her lip, she pulled him close and just held him still for a moment. "I love you too, Illya. No matter what."

Pausing he waited for her to move her hands so that he could move again. It was just odd that she was holding him still. Maybe she just wanted a moment to be quiet with him and Illya didn't mind. That was just something that he hadn't had happen before. After a few seconds everything continued as usual and he kissed and nibbled his way along her neck and back to her mouth again. Illya took his time partly because he wanted to make sure she was alright and the other half was due to the fact that he was a little sore still.

***********************************************

Part way through the night Illya woke to an exceedingly sore back and tender leg. He wasn't quite having the muscle spasms that he used to, but it was close enough that he got up to dig around in his bag for a few of the lozenges. Tucking one into the side of his cheek he got back into the bed with Kalizda and left the other one on the nightstand. More than likely he would want one when he got up for the morning. The Chip wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to himself again.

Illya stayed in bed till he felt Kalizda begin to stir. Lifting his head from his pillow he peered over her shoulder to see how awake she was. She wasn't that awake yet so he stuffed the last lozenge in his cheek. That way she wouldn't know when she was actually awake and he could move on with his day. Gently rubbing one hand from her hip to her thigh he sighed and waited for her to turn toward him. "I have question for meh little bird when she's awake." Softly kissing the back of her neck he waited for her to be ready before he started anything.

 

[aryamajor]

"No don't!"

Her words came out too late and Illya tumbled into the lake, his cup flying from his heavy hands. The Chip didn't even bob before he disappeared before the inky surface, sinking further and further by the second with only glubby air bubbles to show his dive. The rest of their company froze in shock for a split second before jumping to action. "Get rope!"

Calysta shot an murderous glare at the warrior and started toward the edge of the dock to go in after him. She could swim far better than any of the Chip who would be at risk of sinking right along with him. "He really can't swim you idiot! He sinks because he's a Chippeqouti!"

As she stepped forward, Ehvan caught her shoulder and spun her around, shaking his head. "He's too heavy for yeh to get. We'll do et." There wasn't much of a chance to argue with him before the rescue Chip was being tied down with rope and jumped into the water first after his General. The flash light clipped to his shirt lit up the surface of the water then slowly became dimmer until it was swallowed by the black waters. The Reylian warriors stood still in shock as the second Chip sank. The warrior who pushed him shuffled up closer to the end of the dock and knelt by the edge, scanning the bubbles while Ehvan waited for a tug on the rope. Calysta paced the dock with her fists clenched, ready to deck the man who pushed him. Sure, he was drunk, but who pushes guests into the lake? Especially when they explicitly state they can't swim?! Between laps, she held her breath, hoping they came up soon. Illya was strong and had a lung capacity similar to a Kaereleans, but even her Chip had his limits. The idea of him not coming out of the water made her stomach turn to lead and her knees shake.

"I didn't think he would sink," admitted the Warrior quietly in Kaerelean to Calysta.

"You shouldn't be pushing people into the water to start," Kirit remarked back in his native tongue. Young as he might be, the warrior sounded older and authoritative, making the newly initiated grimace a little. "If he comes out of there, it will be your job to clean the barracks tomorrow. All of them."

The warrior nodded. "Yessir." He didn't have to ask what would happen if the Chip General didn't come out.

After what seemed like an eternity Ehvan started ordering the men to pull on the rope. Calysta paused in her pacing and her eyes locked onto the water as the rope being to grow tight with attached weight. Bubbles started to grow more urgent, then the flash light appeared as two dark haired heads broke the surface. As soon as they were into the open air gasping but alive, Calysta pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed a shuddering breath of relief. They were both alive.

Of course, now that Illya was out of the water, it remained to be seen how long the Warrior who pushed him in would be breathing. She started over to him to make sure he was okay, but he was already turning to the guilty warrior. It wasn't two seconds later Illya had taken the man's cup and flicked him off the dock to join the waters below. If he was able to get a little revenge, her Chip would be fine. She was glad to see him help the sodden warrior out of the water though, and the quip about "cold nethers" made her tension dissipate altogether as the men chuckled.

They returned to the fire and Illya huddled close to it, trying to dry off his soaked clothes. Calysta gave him another drink of whatever liquor the warriors had been drinking. It probably wasn't strong enough to do much besides warm him up a little, but she was sure that was all he wanted at this point. Her own buzz had fizzled out as soon as Illya had been pushed into the water, signalling the end of her drinking for the night. Kirit accompanied them in his usual silent self after having a little chat in Kaerelean with the warrior. He was quiet until he had another drink, and the smiles started to return to his face. After his second of the Chip drink, he started to laugh, his voice cracking some. "Ye'may have lost ye title as Flyin' Strider, sir," he laughed as he stood "I need 't go to m' barracks now. Training t'morrow."

He stumbled toward the fire, trying to reach for his scythe and Calysta caught him by the back of his shirt. The young warrior frowned at his weapon. It was alot farther away than he thought. "Maybe, we'll just carry that," Calysta. Kirit shook his head firmly. "I can't. I carry m' own weapon, Miss," then he broke out in another grin again, " It's as tall as'ye anyways."

********

She woke slowly, stirring just a little before she vaguely remembered where she was, bound up in Illya's arms and blanketed by soft sheets. It had been a good night and she was content to find herself waking exactly where she had drifted off to sleep. A warm hand slid down her hip, brushing over her leg and Illya's voice pulled her from sleep, followed by a gentle kiss at her neck. Calsyta smiled sleepily to herself and eased a little closer to him without rolling over just yet. Her spot was too good to give him just yet to waking up. It took her a minute of cat-like stretching in his arms before she rolled over and opened her eyes. He was looking over her with soft green eyes and she couldn't help but lean up and kiss him just a little before anything else was said. "Mmm Good Morning," she smiled "..what did you say? Question?" She remembered that being part of what he said.

Illya let her wake up and stretch about. He had to pull away from her slightly to avoid getting hit with her bony little elbows. Sometimes she wasn't the most aware person when she was waking up. All her little kisses were distracting and more than he liked to admit. "Agh..." Moving her little hand away from his chest he set it on his side that wasn't quite as sore. Holding her hand there for a moment he leaned closer and kissed her playfully. She finally remembered he had a question and that was probably a good thing, because if she hadn't he certainly wouldn't have remembered. "Oh yeah." Settling into the pillow again he left one hand over hers and the other had moved to curl around her shoulders and hold her close. "I like ta know meh Kalizda is happy. Last night yah jes distant for a few minutes and I dun know why."

The question caught Calysta entirely off guard and it brought her out of the sleepy contentment she'd woken up in. Calysta knew what he was referring to, but she had thought she had played that moment off a little better than that. Usually, Illya didnt notice those types of things and he had kept going without saying anything. Her shoulders shrank into his shoulders and she tucked her head to his neck with a nibble. "Not sure what you mean," she whispered back.

"Well yah jes seem different for a few minutes." Illya didn't know how to describe it and he wondered if he hadn't somehow started into something that really didn't have to be a problem. Maybe he was imagining it. "Maybe yah jes tinking and I make too much of et eh?" He was trying to get out of this mess before he made it worse.

Her eyes clamped shut and she held her breath, hidden in Illya's chest. It hurt to hear that she had acted differently when she hadn't mean to and neither answer to the dilemma seemed fair to him. He was asking because he was worried and it wasn't fair to keep him in the dark when he had tried to be honest with her. If she told him, it would hurt and maybe he'd think she was being ridiculous. If she didn't, it would just happen again and feel like it had. She didn't want either. Calysta's grip on him tightened and she took a breath. "I know you said it before we got married, but Illya, do you wish I was Isla?"

For whatever reason she was trying very hard not to say anything and Illya knew that wasn't a good sign. Quietly he waited. Maybe there was something he did and it hurt her? He couldn't think of anything right off the bat. Suddenly she was asking one of the strangest questions he had ever heard. Blinking a few times he sighed. "Kalizda dis is not question I tink yah worry about. I dun want yah to be Isla. I loved meh Isla, but she es gone and I luckeh to find another love. Kalizda I dun want anyone else but yah."

Calysta held him a little tighter, but made herself look up to him at him, though there were a few rogue tears brimming her eyes. Why was it so hard to say these things? She felt a bit like an idiot for crying and being afraid that might be the case. Her hand crept up to the nape his neck while her fingers tangled into the curls there. Searching his face, she looked for any sign he might just be saying this to make her feel better. "As long as you're sure," she mumbled. There was no way she would tell him he talked to his lost love in his sleep.

Her little eyes welled up with tears and her words dropped to a mumble. Illya looked into her face and he frowned a little. "Kalizda....I asked yah because I wanted yah. I waited because I wanted onleh Isla for long time." There was only so much words could do, but he couldn't help wondering where she got this idea. "Why yah tink dis?"

She sniffled and her eyes dropped away from his, unable to hold his gaze. Why did he have to ask that? She would be okay without having to divulge why she thought that way. Moving her hand from his neck she wiped at her eyes and tried to muster a smile before laying a little peck on his cheek. "It doesn't matter, yeah?"

Sometimes she was difficult and Illya didn't know why she was this time. Sighing he glanced at her, "Kalizda....If yah cry et might matter eh?" Gently he pulled her a little closer. He couldn't push, but he knew there was something if she was crying. Carefully he kissed the top of her head since the rest of her was tucked too closely for him to reach. "I love yah Kalizda."

For the first time, she let him see her cry though she was tucked into his chest and her face was hidden. There were no dramatic sobs or wails. Just sniffles and the occasional shudder of her shoulders as tears rolled down. She curled up close and for a long time and one of the rare times simply wanted to be held. When had she started wanting that? About the time she fell in love and it was a strange thing how deeply it had brought out the things she never showed anybody. "I love you, Illya," she whispered. She said it in every language she knew and then untucked her head to look at him. She probably looked a mess with puffy red eyes and her nose all pink, but hopefully he didn't mind. " You have all of me there is to have," she told him, repeating what he had said to her so long ago. "I'm okay."

When she finally looked up Kalizda would not tell him what the problem was. He still knew there was something. Pushing never ended well that he remembered in dealing with women. Instead he gazed into her watery grey eyes and nodded. "I agree wit yah because I dun want anyone else." Even if he was being serious it was hard to tell how much was getting through to her. Shifting to get himself down a bit further in the bed and closer to her level he kissed her little tear stained face. "Yah meh Kalizda and dere is no one else."

Calysta let him kiss her cheeks, wet as they were and nodded. He did love her and she knew it beyond doubt and reason. It was just hard when he went into the past and she didn't exist there. It wasn't his fault and torturing him over something he couldn't help was so wrong. With a shaking breath, Calysta touched her forehead to his for a moment and then stroked his hair. She wanted to just be with him for a little while before the day began and they had little time to talk. Just passing her fingers over his curls, Calsyta gave a little smile at the corner of her lips. She'd been nothing but a mess this morning, though she'd tried not to be. "Your Little Bird is alright. I promise."

Illya seemed to take this in silent acceptance, though she knew he still didn't understand. He was trying to reach out to her, but she didn't want to upset him or hurt him. Instead, she stayed in his warms and whispered the poems she knew. Calysta wasn't as good at saying how she felt. Not like Illya when he could come in and kiss her wrist while whispering sweet things in her ear. She did know verses though, and sometimes those said it better than she could. There was one piece that had been sticking in her mind since the other night, downloaded from a random collection. It certainly wasn't her own prose, but she couldn't remember the authors name either. "I would choose you in a hundred lifetimes and a hundred worlds. I'd find you and I'd choose you." Maybe it was corny and maybe he wouldn't understand, but trying to tell him made her feel better.

After a long while, she slipped ankle over his and kissed him with a reassuring smile. "Hmm...lets go find some breakfast."

*****

Kirit stood before his Chief, Lyra, along with the General and the man's diplomat wife Kalizda, trying not to wince at the lights glaring over head in the meeting house. He had managed to drink far too much the night before, though he was sure it had only been one or two drinks. Normally, he could handle at least 4 before coming anywhere close to a hangover. His muscle burned the alcohol too quickly for much else before 3 drinks to touch him. Whatever it was must've been much stronger than even its taste had indicated. Kirit had only been half paying attention, which was not like him at all, when Tikan clapped a meaty hand over his shoulder. The younger warrior had to fight to keep his neutral expression as the friendly clap rippled through his sore head.

"Ye leave of absence 't train with' the Chippeqouti General Illya has been granted, First Warrior. Ye may lead as ye see fit until ye depart, by then I expect ye 't have someone t' fill'the position while ye gone."

Kirit gave a singular nod. "Yessir. I will choose an' show them'the duties."

"Kirit is one'the best I've seen. He'll learn fast and do ye well. Now, that'the small details are done," Tikan grinned as he turned back to Illya, "Kirit will show ye'the complex an' anything else ye request. When ye done, we'll talk about where't take our first investigation. If I read ye right, ye seemed 't think the mines were a good start. We form a plan 't find if'the place is Federation run an we flush out if they are. T'day get t' know'the complex and m'men."

Tikan sounded confident but in truth he was glad the Chippeqouti would be there to deal with the mines at least. That would be the hardest area to deal with and it would be best to get a fast strike in if necessary. The General and his men seem to specialize in operations like that and he wanted the move to be kept quiet as possible. The longer it took for the Federation to figure out there was something amiss, the longer Reylia would stay a safe strong hold for their allies and his people.

His wife kissed his cheek, and then offered a hand to Calysta. "Ye come with 'me for a bit and we talk, yeah? I have somethings t' show a fellow woman warrior." Calysta knew it would be rude to refuse, though she would rather go with Illya to translate if he needed it. "Of course." she replied with a small nod. Giving Illya's arm a squeeze. "I'll see you a little later, okay?" she said in Qouti, meeting his bright eyes with hers. Lyra waited patiently and then lead her out of the meeting house and into the bright sun. She would see Illya later and do something nice for him some how.

Kirit waited for the General to be ready and then escorted him from the meeting house toward the barracks first. One of the things he did remember from the night before was the man sinking like a rock in the lake. A warrior who didn't know how to survive on land and water seemed a bit strange but maybe it was as they said last night. Their bones were just too heavy. General Illya definitely looked heavy enough and his man Ehvan had been surprisingly hefty in the pit.

They reached the long house and Kirit brought them inside where rows of hammocks were set up, each looking identical. There was a small wooden trunk underneath each or mounted on wall beside the second layer of nets. An empty weapons rack took up the entire back wall, ones meant for scythes and others meant for sidearms and rifles. "Reylia warriors sleep here, wake at 6am an' start t' train after breakfast. We train wrestlin'...uh...hand t' hand..., scythe as tradition...uh.. an' a modern firearms." He had to sound dumb but his traders-tongue was patchy at times and his wife wasn't there to translate. With a small shake of his head, he walked to the back of the room where a galley door waited and took the Chip through the mess hall. Next he showed him the dirt practice pits where the men had already been divided into two lines to face each other down in hand to hand combat training. As to of them squared off the lieutenant overseeing the training was barking in Kaerelean at them. The one lunged first and was immediately evaded and his body weight used against him in a hard take down. At the sight of Illya and Kirit the rematch was paused and the men stood at attention.

"At ease. Ye go back t' training," Kirit said. There was another moment of pause before the men went back to their tasks.

Next was the gun range where several men had lined up practicing with standard 9mm side arms for the most part. There were a few rifles intermixed and nobody bothered to look up at them this time because they had headgear on and it was important to pay attention to the actual task when it came to guns. Beyond that was a field where men would learn how to deal with incoming shells, grenades and more but there was no training group using it at present. An airfield stretched out past that for a fleet of flyers, equipped for small time air coverage if it was needed, and an obstacle course for basic PT purposes. "If ye men like, they can come t' the range." That was all Kirit had to say about that.

They wandered into the next area which was a raised, ropeless platform. Two warriors were clashing with wooden scythes as a the training lieutenant shook his head, displeased and corrected one of the warriors forms before allowing the fight to continue. When the trainer saw Illya and Kirit, he left his two charges to fight and jumped down from the platform. He was an older man, and carried fine scars all over his arms, bare shoulders and even his face. One such scar even arched into his dark hair, leaving a bald patch. Despite the slightly grizzled appearance, he bore a pleasant enough smile as he spoke in Kaerelean to Kirit.

"Perro says he hears' the Chipp'qouti like t' learn with blades too," Kirit stumbled in traders-tongue, "He asks if ye like t' try scythe."

Kirit waited for the man to reply for before relaying the man's answer to Perro. He hated playing translator, but there wasn't much choice considering Perro didn't know much traders-tongue beyond "Where's the bathroom" and a multitude of curses.

 

[Silence]

A bit of time had been spent with Kalizda first thing in the morning and Illya let the conversation end though he was not so sure that she told him everything. As much as he wanted to know what it was he couldn't make her tell him. When she rolled closer he shifted to lay on his back. He didn't mind when she sat on top of him and they snuggled for a few minutes or she would put her little hands over his shoulders and loom over him to give kisses. Resting his hands on her legs he looked up at her and shifted to lean against the headboard. Now that he was sitting up a little he kissed her gently and wrapped one hand around her back.

She was starting to get all wordy and Illya just grinned and kissed her again. "I tink I tell yah story while yah get dressed eh?" It wasn't often he wanted to tell her things and he figured that she would listen. While he pushed the blankets off he moved to the edge of the bed and somewhat stiffly reached for his pants. Continuing in Quoti he knew she would understand most of it. "This little bird she fly always and she is now independent. A wild wolf aboard her ship, restless and broken. He didn't think it was possible she would let him fly with her when he was only learning to fly and trying very hard to be crew. She was very strong in different ways and kind." The words were almost muffled as Illya pulled his shirt over his head now and leaned over to tie his shoes. "Now the wolf starts wondering if maybe a bird would make her nest in his den. If she would be his if he asked. She was too beautiful, young and gentle. A most terrifying question for the wolf to ask and so he waited too long. He waited till all his brokenness began to destroy him. The little bird might have thought to leave, but she takes him on her wings and flies through storm and danger to heal him. Something that the wolf could not understand and he decided he would wait no longer for the bird to make her home in his den."

Illya was dressed now and he walked over to Kalizda. "There are still wounds and the wolf knows this, but he asked his bird to make her nest in his den and he will protect her with everything that he has. As long as little bird lives she holds his heart and keeps it in her nest. His heart is hers to keep." Setting his hands on her hips he gazed down into her eyes. "I love meh little bird and I trust her. She holds all that is precious to meh." Kissing her gently on the forehead he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up slightly so that he could kiss her. Setting Kalizda back down on the ground he nodded to her. "Now we're ready eh?" When a woman cried it was all the more important for her to know that she was loved. Illya wanted desperately for her to know that he wanted her and loved her more than anything.

***********************************************

Before he even got the chance to rouse his men Illya met with Tikan and discovered that the man wanted him to mainly focus on the mines and probably starting tomorrow. It would take a bit of planning tonight, but he could do it if he didn't have any tea. Nodding in agreement he joined Kirit for the walk to see the lay out of the fields and barracks. They were close to the end or so Illya assumed when a man decided to ask if he would like to try the scyth. Illya knew that much of the sword practice was the same and he had never worked with a scyth, but he was happy to try one. "I would be glad ta try scyth. Do yah play ta first blood?"

Kirit glanced between the two men. Perro seemed curious and eager to test himself and so did rhe General. After last nights dunk in the lake he was almost tempted to warn against fighting Perro. The man was a master for 20 some odd years and had taught Kirit for a long time. He knew how rough the man could get. Still he had to remind himself the man was surely more than capable of handling it and there was no water involved. "Either with wooden practice scythe's to a yield position or to first blood with edged blades. Guests choice."

There was no point in practicing with the wooden sword if he had a chance to go with a real blade. Illya motioned to the other fighter to give him a moment to test the blade's weight and swing it a few times. He would have to be sure not to be too rough on the fighter and focus more on technique. Trying out a new sword would be quite pleasurable and if they sold their swords Illya might find a way to purchase one, just for fun. Finally he was ready and he nodded to Perro. "Ready."

Perro took to the mat and readied himself across from the large man. He seemed confident and like he might be a challenge, which was good. Gripping his weapon comfortably in his hands, the older warrior stepped out towards the mans left with his blade only to feint right at the last second coming down with a lightning quick slice at his knee.

It seemed the man was eager and in a sword fight that was not always a good quality. If there was one thing that practice and years of fighting had taught him it was the fact that the feet told you where the man was going and he knew that the feint to the right was only in the upper body movement. The man was moving to left as his feet indicated. Stepping easily to the right Illya moved in close to Perro and elbowed him in the ribs. Stepping back he waited and watched the man's feet again. There were few tell tale signs when he moved, but a pattern would start to form and Illya wanted to know what it was.

Perro took the hit to the chest and withdrew. He now knew his opponent was watchful as to his footwork, having been able to dodge the feint so easily. This time the blade master side stepped, circling around and actively swapping his feet. When he felt ready, he made a side step toward the Chip thrusting his blade one way, by sliding his hand to the middle of the pole and bracing it with his arm. When the Chip dodged, he flipped the weapon in his grip so the butt end came hurtling toward the man's head.

The older looking man started to change things up and Illya watched it with a sharp eye though he still didn't move much. It was better to let the opponent do all the work. Illya dodged the first blow and when the second came twirling toward his head he was forced to move and he slid beneath the blade and twisted a little with a sharp kick from the heel of his boots. If the man hadn't been watchful he would hit the ground and if he had he would have to move back enough to give Illya the space to get back up.

The older man shuffled back from the kick and grinned. Distance was an ally and sometimes it wasn't. He went to circling again keeping his blade a a little lower, ready to strike or defend.as necessary. When he determined another opening, he took it, but this time would be different. He stabbed at the Chips right and while he reacted, Perro closed the gap and swung out with a heavy right hook to the Chip's jaw.

Playing it this way was fun and Illya didn't mind the dance that resulted with the rhythm. It seemed that Perro had good technique for the most part and he started to develop his own little method to fight. The only problem was that Illya had kept to many basic moves and let Perro reveal himself. Side stepping and giving a little turn he felt a bit of an impact to his jaw and he continued with his turn. There had been a hard pop when the man's fist made contact with his jaw. Illya kept walking and brought his sword up to catch the older man's and slid to the side while allowing the other man' scythe to hit the ground and making a quick slice for Perro's arm.

Perro grunted at the distinct popping sound in his right wrist, broken no doubt. Their bones had been no joke but he had to find out for himself. He'd mostly just been testing out the man's skills, poking and prodding where he wanted, and finding himself impressed. The pain of his hand was a minor distraction and the tip of his scythe touched the ground in his other hand before he saw the quick slice coming for his left arm to make him drop it entirely. With a hauling effort, he changed his momentum and brought up his blade tip to glance the blow. His opponents blade nicked his arm, but his own blade tip found itself centimeters from the Generals throat.

The blade was still short from touching his throat, but that would have been a close call in a battle and Illya knocked it to the side with one arm hitting the flat of the blade. "Yah ave good technique." Since the match was over and he'd won Illya walked over to where the older man stood and shook his good hand. "I like dese swords. Strange, but maybe I train more wit dem and become better eh?" It wasn't his best fight, but he could manage if he had to with a scythe.

Perro met him with his unbroken hand and nodded with a grin. "Ye good. Come shit in train time." Kirit grimaced at the teachers mispeak and shook his head before correcting him in Kaerelean. The older warrior scoffed and made a face at being corrected by a former student, then waved an answer at Kirit to translate. "Perro says ye welcome't sit in any time an' train with'm. Also, he says sorry for'the wrong words."

With the mispronunciation Illya only blinked a few times while he did his best to figure out what the man had actually intended to say. Sitting in on training time was far more likely and then it was confirmed when Kirit answered and Illya nodded to both of them, but kept his attention mostly on Perro. "I tink one day maybe. For now dere is more I worreh about eh?" There was a lot more to think about than just learning to play with a new sword.

Kirit parlayed the answer to Perro so he was sure to understand. This time he was able to pull on his own vocabulary. "Aye," he nodded, "Much." Perro pointed to the weapon in Illya's hand and spoke in Kaerelean quickly. Kirit sighed at playing message delivery boy again and looked to Illya. "He says if ye wish 't keep it with'ye, it is ye own now for earning ye feather. Can 'take it with'ye or leave 't be guarded here."

********************************************************

When they finished Illya finally had the chance to collect his men and make sure they were up and preparing their gear, camouflaging their weapons and eating well. If they were expected to move tomorrow he would give them a slow day and some rest to be sure that they were ready to move at the necessary pace. When he opened the door to the ship there was a smell and he knew immediately what it was. They were all sick. Mingled with the smell of sickness there was the scent of alcohol and sweat. Corn was apparently a common part of the Kaerelean diet and Illya would have to start asking Kalizda when the food had corn so that he could tell his men what not to eat. Although there were a few times that he had eaten corn and gotten sick he loved the corn. It tasted so tender and sweet.

Chippequoti were a bit prideful in their own right and Illya knew that his men wouldn't want an outsider to see them all less than their best so he shook his head when Kirit went to enter the ship behind him. "Alright all get up and wash." Speaking in Quoti he started to walk into the back where he knew they would all be on their bunks groaning and moaning about the food that hadn't settled in their stomachs.

The men sat up and slowly got to attention as Illya stepped inside and he looked them over. "Get washed up, have something to eat, then make short drill. Tomorrow I make quick brief and we make our first hit." He was planning to hit 3 of the major mines before noon and it could be done, but they would have to be fast. By evening they would be drilling with Kirit providing the young man was ready to begin drills. Taking him on a mission like these coming up would be too risky when he had previously no experience moving with them. As for Kalizda she would still be going with them. Someone had to translate and deal with the folk that could understand their native language.

Now that his men knew what they had to do for the day Illya started out of the ship again and left the main door open. They needed to get some air into the ship to get rid of the sick smell. Meeting with Kirit on the gang plank again the general met his gaze. "Dey ate corn. Not good for Chippequoti." By now the Kaereleans were probably thinking that the Chippequoti were horribly weak in some ways. If it was swimming it was nothing to be helped and the corn was that way to. However, they weren't weaknesses if you just learned to avoid them. "What else is der for meh to see before yah done giving tour?" Illya wanted to be done with the tour so he could start his work perhaps a bit earlier and if he was lucky he could get the briefing done with the men tonight. Aside from that it also seemed that Kirit was not entirely fond of giving tours and Illya only needed to know what he had for grounds to use and then he would get his men ready.

 

[aryamajor]

Calysta was loathe to move away from Illya, but he tossed off the covers and started to sit up, making her follow suit from his chest. Sliding off the bed, she heard him offer to tell her a story with one of the those grins he carried when he was getting ready to tell her something funny. Illya would tell her a story to make her smile and laugh if he could and it was sweet for him to make the effort. Calysta walked over to her bag and pulled out her grey tunic then began a search for an undershirt as he started his story. "This little bird she fly always and she is now independent. A wild wolf aboard her ship, restless and broken...."

At his words, she stopped digging through her clothes and listened. A little bird and a wolf. Illya was casually getting ready as he told his tale and she listened with her throat growing a little tight as he continued. "He waited till all his brokenness began to destroy him. The little bird might have thought to leave, but she takes him on her wings and flies through storm and danger to heal him...."

He didn't understand why she did that? She loved him, of course. How could she not? Illya bent to tie slide on his boots and lace them before coming over, capturing her up in his arms. The tunic fell to the floor as Calysta's hands slipped towards his shoulders and she put her cheek in the center of his chest. The thumping of his heart was loud and strong, keeping a steady rhythm in her ears. "There are still wounds and the wolf knows this, but he asked his bird to make her nest in his den and he will protect her with everything that he has. As long as little bird lives she holds his heart and keeps it in her nest. His heart is hers to keep."

This was not the story she had expected at all. In her version to Rose, the wolf stole away the bird's heart from it's cage like a thief until it came to the last piece. The little bird tried to protect it, but then realized the wolf wasn't stealing her heart. He was protecting it instead. Loving it. The little bird gave him the last piece joyfully, trusting the wolf and loving him in return at the end. In his story, it was the little bird who protected and healed the wolf. There are still wounds and the wolf knows this...

"I love meh little bird and I trust her. She holds all that is precious to meh." His hands settled over her hips and she felt a tender kiss delivered to the top of her head. Illya had been hurt in more than just body but he spoke about the little bird as if she helped in more ways than one. He would have his moments where those old wounds still flared, where the past crept in on him like a shadow from back of his mind, but that didn't mean she was shrouded in that shadow. It meant she had been one of the things that pulled him out of those dark places. Even trying to move forward with her was an act of love itself.

She sniffled as the realization settled over her like a strange warmth and then looked up to her Chip, meeting his bright green eyes with her own grey. He was gazing at her with a touch of worry, but absolute trust and love too. Why did she know so many languages and yet had trouble saying the simplest things, like how she felt, when Illya was only fluent in one and could strike so easily to the heart of the matter? Calysta didn't know how the Chip did it, but it was one of the many reasons she loved him. "I trust you my wolf," she replied, her voice almost a whisper, "And I love you more with every passing second." She wanted him to know it, even if she wasn't as good at telling him. She'd tell him every day for 300 years to remind him, even when the times were harder. They would be okay. Illya lifted her up, kissing her again and Calysta could feel his lips curling into a gentle smile under hers before he sat her down on the floor again.

"Now we're ready eh?"

She glanced down at her mostly bare self and chuckled quietly, a smile inching its way to her lips. "I'm ready. Though I might be a little under-dressed."

**********

Lyra walked beside Calysta and lead her down toward the training complex. Already the sounds of the Reylian warriors training in some form or another were filling the courtyard. The Chieftess had mentioned showing her some things for 'women warriors' but Calysta couldn't think of any thing that could possibly be different for female warriors other than size and occasional health matters. They walked into a small stone building which had smoke pouring from the chimney. The walls looked old, but the door was heavy, and newer, with a near air tight seal around it. Lyra gave the door a firm tug and the seal popped open, releasing a curling puff of white smoke. It didn't smell like wood burning though and the haze was too clean looking. Steam. Where was she taking them?

They entered the steamy building and a Reylian civilian woman greeted them, and guided them past a soft pink curtain. There were rows of bathing pools separated by decorated dividing walls. Steam rolled from the water and clung to their skin as the worker lead them to the very last pool and took two fluffy robes form the shelf nearby. "Sometimes," Lyra said with a sly smile, "Bein' a warrior woman, means ye have 't pay a bit more attention 't the woman side. Balance is important, yeah?" Their hostess pulled a curtain across their bathing booth, totally blocking them from sight and then set about preparing the water. She poured ample amounts of a sweet smelling gel into the water and then pressed a button on the wall near by. A small chime sounded and the water began to bubble, circulated by hidden jets somewhere beneath the surface. The Chieftess stripped off her clothing and Calysta caught a glimpse of the woman's figure. There was very little fat on her, all her thickness coming from solid muscle that happened to settle in the right places. She could have grown accustomed to a Chip bone frame easily.

"Well, ye comin' in or not?"

Calysta blinked and then started removing her clothes. She hadn't expected coming to a hot tub, but she wasn't going to turn down the chance to soak for a bit. It had been ages since she had a true bath and the steaming pool would help all the soreness in her arms from the night before. Folding her clothes neatly, she handed them to the worker and thanked her before they disappeared behind the curtain. Lyra slipped into the bubbling waters without hesitation before floating over to one of the corners. Calysta was more methodical. The water was extremely hot, so she started at ankle depth and worked her way step by step with a sigh. It was almost too hot to endure at first. Her cheeks turn red almost instantly as the waters started burning through her muscles and scorching her skin before it went to relaxing them. During her slow entrance, Lyra wedged into the corner and propped her arms on either side of the tile. Her dark eyes were giving a curious look and she tilted her head. What was she looking at?

Finally, she made it into the water shoulder deep and drifted over to the opposite corner to face the Chieftess. There was a powerful jet at about shoulder blade height there and it felt almost like a Chip massage as she settled against it. "Is this place open to men as well?" Calysta asked, as she thought of Illya. He was stiff last night, even if he didn't like admitting it and this would be an excellent place to come in leui of a massage. If she could actually get him into the water. Lyra nodded with a pleasant smile. "Aye, they have' a separate floor below. Open till'the evening."

"Illya would like it. If I could get him into the water."

The Chieftess nodded in approval. Kirit had reported on the incident with the lake and she had been surprised to learn that the cheeky General and his men could not swim in the slightest. "Ye bring'm."

A silence fell between them and Calysta leaned her head back a little, as another sigh escaped her. She wondered what Illya and Kirit were seeing. Would they be needing a translator? Lyra seemed to pick up on her restlessness for a moment and shifted in the water. Not that she minded a good long soak, she just wasn't sure that the Chieftess was expecting of her or if it was simply company. Vowing to relax and enjoy, Calysta closed her eyes and listened to the constant burbling of the jets until the woman seemed to pick up on her wandering mind.

"I hope ye don't mind a lit'tle relaxin'" Lyra commented, as she titled her head back, "The Cyrnalia can be hard t' run, especially when ye in delicacy."

Whatever relaxation Calysta had been sinking into popped like a tiny balloon in the back of her mind and she snapped up with wide eyes. "I-I'm not pregnant." Where in the wilds had the woman gotten that idea?!

Rather than growing offended, Lyra furrowed her brow in confusion. "M'mother was'a birthin' assistant. I know'the look. Ye look differen' than the last time I s'ye. Are ye sure?"

Calysta nodded quickly, the ends of her hair trailing into the water. She had been keeping careful watch and her calendar was marked for a cycle to begin next week. The woman was probably seeing the small changes that her surgery had caused. "Yes, I'm positive. I had a surgery that affected my appearance since the last time you saw me."

Lyra's eyes scanned her over, as if she didn't quite believe that is the cause of this sudden change. She did feel a bit bad for assuming, but the woman looked fuller than the last time in a few different areas, though it was subtle. "Maybe that is what I see. I apologize. If ye not, it will happen in time. When it does, ye come soak like this. It's good for ye baby. Especially if ye intend on travel or fightin'."

Calysta gave the woman a tentative"I didn't know that" before trying to go back to relaxing. If she was pregnant she would know it and that was the end of the conversation. Instead, Lyra continued giving her advice on how to keep herself and an potential baby ridealongs safe in a fire fight. "Most woman think ye should could cover ye stomach...no...ye cover ye head like always..."

By the time Calysta escaped the bath house it was time for lunch and Lyra invited her to join her for a Reylian meat pie on the square. She picked at her food, twirling the bits of red meat over and over her fork while Lyra told her how she and Tikan had met. "He tried t' wrestle m' in the games. I had dressed as'a man and m' hair was sheared short for'the Crynalia. I won within a minute an' he asked me't marry him that night....once he found out I was a woman."

Lyra showed her around the town more and took her to the airfield. For Calysta, it was a bit of a homecoming, and the mechanic there asked if she minded helping with a damaged drag fin on one of the flyers. A falcon had gotten the notion to attack the flyer rather than the meat treat last night and it was in need of replacing. Calysta grinned and quickly agreed to help, almost forgetting the Chieftess was there. With a questioning glance to Lyra, the woman nodded and gestured to the flyer. "Ye should help. I see ye at dinner t'night, yeah?" Finally, she was in her element and it felt good to be in a place that was familiar to any good captain.

"Aye."

Calysta spent the rest of the afternoon with the mechanic. Once the damaged drag fin was removed, it was short work to replace it and then he invited her to take a look at another with a gauge problem. Diving into the cockpit with her feet hanging over the side, she unscrewed the electrical panel and went to testing the wires with a circuit light from her pocket. As she suspected it was a wire that looked damaged from moisture. Reylia was wetter than Kinte and Pyrta so it was to be expected. "I'll replace the wire if you work on getting a better seal on that panel."

The work was mind clearing and it she was a little glad to be out from under the peering eyes of Lyra. Calysta hadn't thought the surgery had changed her that drastically, but apparently it had. Or she was getting fat. A shock of fear hit her and she glanced down at her stomach. It was flat as ever in her form fitting tunic, but she pinched at her side just to make sure. "Not fat...thank the Wilds."

*******
Kirit gave the Illya the information he requested as they headed to lunch in the mess hall. "The first mine sit in th'valley at the Hyl Mountin's. Steel an' iron comes out an' is taken by skimmer t' the port. The second is'a...dirt..." the Kaerelean grumbled, trying to find the right words, "Special dirt....mine. Many Reylian's work it. An th' third is a stone mine on th' other side of the planet near th' ocean."

The Chip looked at him as if he didn't like the news about the water and Kirit couldn't blame him considering the man floated like a stone. "Not under 'the water. A cave in'the cliff side. Tikan says anythin' ye need here is for ye to use."

As they entered the mess hall, the Reylian warriors began stop their meals and stand at attention until Kirit released them with a simple command in Kaerelean. At his word the men and women eased back to their seats and chatter continued as normal. The young warrior came to a halt at the back of a line where plates where waiting at a buffet of sorts. He handed the Chip and metal plate and looked up to the General with his dark eyes. "I request t' come with ye. As First Warrior its'm duty, but it's ye crew, so I must'ask f' permission." Normally, there would be no question of his presence as such an important move and another pair of capable hands was always needed in his view.

********

When Calysta stepped into the meeting hall where all the Chippeqouti had gathered for their meal, she was covered in grease, with a few smudges dotting her cheeks. The Chips seemed a little hesitant of the meal offered by the Kaereleans, but they had liked the nyte beast the day before. Then she remembered that corn had been served with the meal last night and winced. No wonder they were looking at their plates so cautiously. It was good that she had managed to keep Illya from eating it but his men had figured it out the hard way. This meal also probably looked a little strange because it was fish. Most of them had probably never seen this sort of food. Fish was baked in herbs and a cream sauce along with mushroom peppered rice would be good and they would like it if they were daring enough to try it. Maybe.

When her eyes landed on Illya, a warm smile spread over her face. He was looking down at his plate with an hesitate gaze, his fork hovering over the pink meat. She scurried over and kissed is cheek, catching him by surprise. "Don't worry it's not corn. It's fish meat," she whispered. Sliding into her seat beside him, Calysta waited for one of the Reylia servers to come around with a tray of filets and filled her plate. Her loss of appetite at lunch had caught up with her and now she was starving. Fish was a favorite of hers and with out a moment of thought, she tucked into the food. "How was the tour? Do we know what the plans are for tomorrow now?"

He nodded, poking at the fish fillet with his fork. "It wont bite back," she chuckled, before taking another bite of her own. The meat was tender, flaking apart under her fork. She took the bite and swirled it in the lemony cream sauce, and scooped up a little bit of rice to go with it. The fare delicious and she had a hard time not asking for seconds when the server came back around to refill her water glass in time for Illya's briefing on the mission.