"Black Fire"
"Black Fire"
xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
Fire”
by Sapphira, and based on Earth: Final Conflict, F Sea Season…
Howlyn/Renee & mild Liam/Lilli
to “If Only For One Night”
Don’t own anything in relation to E:FC… darn. I am making no profit off of any
of my fanfics, except that which comes in the form of reviews, and those are
given freely… most of the time. (wink)
Alternate ending and continuation to the series finale… The premise for this
series originally came into being over at ff.net a couple of years ago, it was
completed almost a year ago from today, and had garnered over 300 reviews and
about 500 fans. Tis eis extreme Howlyn/Renee erotica at its best, so if you
have a problem with this couple, then don’t read. It’s that simple…
second-in-command and runner up for the Throne, released his cleaves and ran
them deep into Howlyn’s solar plexus, lifting him clear off of his feet.
Feeding off of his King’s energy force, and declaring himself the new Ruler of
the Atavus.
Trying to reach his father. To do what, he didn’t know. Jaylis had always
waited for the opportunity to remove Howlyn as an obstacle from his path to
Ruler, and now he finally had his chance. And he was going to make it count.
sealed off the exit way, and locking himself in with his father, except that he
had wanted to give Renee and her crew a chance to work things out from their
end. He had stayed in the hopes of convincing his father to give up this
insanity, and make peace with the human race.
Leader of a race that couldn’t afford to lose…
“You,
and your mother… You never understood. We are Warriors, Son! If we leave this
planet, in the face of human aggression… What good are we?”
Yulyn
watched in despair as Howlyn’s eyes closed, and the breath left his body. His
stubbornness and pride had meant his death.
Jaylis
casually threw Howlyn’s body away. It landed heavily on the floor of the
command deck, as the Atavus male holding Yulyn released the boy.
hadn’t always been like this. Yulyn remembered what it was like before they had
all been taken from their home planet. Before they had come to Earth.
the Command Deck. Liam had informed her that the ID drives had been brought
back online. They didn’t have much time. They were running against the clock.
in the hopes of deactivating the ID Drives, while Renee tried to get to Yulyn,
and convince Howlyn to abandon this fight, and leave peacefully.
him to listen to her. It would be the first time that she stood face to face
with him since the Spa.
at the portal with Yulyn at her side, didn’t count. Needless to say, Howlyn
hadn’t been very interested in her at that moment, except to be furious at her
for, what he believed, was holding his son and heir captive. He hadn’t had a
chance to allow his advanced senses brush over her, and pick up on the slight
little flicker of Human/Atavus life force within her body.
much attracted to him. Their night in the bathing chamber two months ago still
haunted her dreams.
flat stomach, as she sped up her pace. Her daughter lay within her womb, and it
was counting on her to keep it safe and somehow solve this conflict. This child
was Howlyn’s as well. And she knew that he was more likely to think this day
was just getting better and better for him, then to just abandon this fight for
the sake of their offspring.
at his side, and at the same time, fly his ship into the low orbit of Earth.
Destroying anything and everything in its path.
exactly how she was going to stop it. She just knew she had to try. For their
daughter’s sake. She knew she was placing them both in danger… Something she
had sought not to accomplish. It wouldn’t take Howlyn long before he sensed her
condition. Not the way he tended to zoom in on her when they were in each other’s
presence. Nor any other awakened Atavus on board, when they realized that they
had the perfect playing card in Howlyn’s newly conceived young, as well as the
human female he had wished to take as a mate.
cannon more securely on her shoulder.
the Command Deck, when she saw an unfamiliar Atavus male, take hold of Yulyn
threateningly, “Your er’ser’s disgrace, is your disgrace!”
the eye. “Kill me, and you will die here having learned nothing!”
deck, bringing up her phase cannon and shooting the Atavus soldier who came
charging at her. His body disintegrating into a green, pulsing energy life
force. Completely destroyed. Where the hell where these weapons a few months
ago?
familiar with the weapon she carried with her, and for the first time since
awakening from stasis, he felt unsure about how to precede. Maybe he had killed
Howlyn too soon, but Jaylis couldn’t have allowed Howlyn the chance to kill
him. Everything he had worked towards for over 3 million years would have been
for naught. He had been planning and conniving for too long, to have allowed
the opportunity to remove Howlyn from power to pass by, even if it most
assuredly meant his own demise. It would be worth it to have taken Howlyn from
his position.
after all. At least until he learned the full capabilities of this newly
evolved species.
“Who are you?” Jaylis growled. His grip tightening on
the young prince. There was something about this female that rubbed him the
wrong way. His senses were trying to tell him something….
despite the tightening of Jaylis’s grip.
flickering to Yulyn momentarily to ascertain that he was still in one piece,
before focusing back on the Atavan male. She didn’t like the way he was
studying her.
Try to find a solution.” Renee tilted her head to the side as she slowly
repositioned her weapon. She didn’t like the way the male was calculating his
options to what she believed wasn’t probably going to be surrender.
to smile. Ah, so that was what it was that had been tickling at his
senses from the moment the female had stepped into his view. She was with
child, and unless his senses were a little cross wired from the 3 million years
in stasis, the child she carried had been sired by an Atavus male. The Atavus
male laying at his feet, to be precise.
captor, as he ascertained Renee’s condition. Great, just great.
glaring fire at Renee, as she tensed, waiting for whatever was to come. “Howlyn
must have fallen farther than I realized, to have taken a human, livestock,
as a mate.”
shock. His under developed senses unable to pick up what Jaylis’s had. Renee
didn’t look back at him. Instead she kept her eyes trained fully on Jaylis.
Waiting for the other shoe to fall. She felt her daughter leap in fear within
her womb. Sensing it’s mother’s concern.
took a step closer. “Let the boy go.”
Renee hup aup a hand for silence when Liam would have o'> “Negative. There “Negative. No “No compliance can be made. There is no carbon-based body “Affirmative.” The system chirped back at her. “Affirmative.” ~*~
know, I always knew that Howlyn had fairly good taste when it came to women.
His first wife was strong and beautiful, if a bit misguided in our role in
things. Juda, well,” Jaylis started to chuckle. “Juda was Juda.”
saw that is so special in you. Enough for him to place his seed within your
womb.” Jaylis evaluated his options. He could kill the boy, and try to take
control over the human, to evaluate her himself. It would be his final victory
over Howlyn. To take his Queen and offspring to be as slaves... But judging by
the way that female was holding that weapon of hers, he didn’t think he would
live long enough to enjoy the kill. Besides, first feeding on the father… then
the son... That was just plain gluttony.
consider. It would never fly now, and it had to be destroyed to keep it safe
from other species that might try to steal the technology. He was sure that
there had to be some place on this planet that still had remains of when the
Atavus had ruled. Some place they could retreat to, regroup, and then attack
the human race when their Atavan numbers had increased, and their odds of
survival improved. Naturally with him as the Ruler.
heiress to the throne. She was too dangerous to remain alive. The idea of a
half breed ruler was almost as bad as the thought of Yulyn ruling in his
father’s stead.
Howlyn, but there is a bigger issue at stake here. Your ship is damaged, and
your species have been weakened by remaining on Earth as long as you have. You
are not as strong as you once were. Make peace, so no more of either of our
people have to die.”
by the commanding tone in the strange female’s voice. He quickly activated the
destruction of the ship. He started to reach over to activate the portals, and
awaken the Atavus soldiers in stasis, so they could scatter and regroup at a
later date, when Yulyn took advantage of his momentary lapse of concentration,
and darted away.
computer terminal in front of him, and Yulyn managed to pull away from him.
Without hesitation, she brought up her phase cannon as Jaylis tried to go after
the young prince, cleaves extended. Pulling the trigger, she watched as the
threat of Howlyn’s second-in-command, faded away to green swirls of dead life
force.
her in a tight hug.
self-destruct protocol.”
alien images flashing across. “Three minutes, maybe more. Maybe less.”
“OK, the ID drives, they’re still functional, right?”
his head.
Mothership.”
home!”
called into her ear piece receiver. “Meet me in the Engine Room.”
about the Atavus? The other ones onboard the ship?”
“What?”
then transport them to the Mothership.”
“Yulyn, there isn’t time!”
show mercy?!” Yulyn’s voice became more serious. “Renee, my father is dead. My
brethren will follow me now. We can go home.”
mention of his words. “… my father is dead…” She couldn’t believe
it. They hadn’t come this far, for Howlyn to die.
stricken face. And Renee knew what she had to do, and she prayed there was
enough time to do it.
Mothership. Ra-jel’s concerned visage appearing. “Miss Palmer?”
coordinates. Prepare the stasis deck for…”
and I am activating the Particle Transporter beam now. I am pleased with your
decision.”
answered back, glancing at Yulyn.
the Engine room. She couldn’t leave like this. Not without making sure there
wasn’t any chance that Howlyn was still alive. She owed at least that much to
Yulyn and her daughter. And to herself.
like she had gone mad. Maybe she had.
him in the direction of the corridor. “I’ve just got to finish something
first.”
for discussion. She watched for a moment to make sure Yulyn followed her order,
before turning back into the Command Deck.
focused on Jaylis and Yulyn to have cared about the unmoving body of some
Atavus. It had never occurred to her that it belonged to Howlyn.
Howlyn’s body. He was pale and unmoving. The viscous wound in his lower chest
open and slick with blood.
around her heart. Damn his arrogance!
forehead, as she came to a decision. She didn’t know what the burial customs
were for the Atavus, but she was pretty sure they didn’t include getting blown
up on a ship from hell.
pocket, and slapped it onto his unmoving chest. After activating the beacon,
she pulled out her global and linked into the Mothership again, as she ran as
fast as she could for the exit. Knowing Liam would be there with the ID Drives.
Command Deck, and beam the body back to the Mothership. Secure it on one of the
quarantine vaults in the Medical bay. Hurry!”
agreement.
almost collided with Liam, who was carrying the ID Drives. Yulyn right behind
him. The entire ship’s warning tones were ringing off the walls. The entire
ship was screaming now in protest. Shaking violently under their feet.
her. His face lined with anger and concern, as he shoved Renee roughly in front
of him and down the exit. Tossing her one of the ID Drives.
that is currently exploding around us!”
recently dug tunnel, leading the way out. They barely managed to throw
themselves clear, before the Atavan ship blew. The force of the blow causing
the cavern around them to shake violently.
A smile spreading across his face.
protectively, as she felt the smaller tremors racing through the stone floor at
their backs. Yulyn watched her specivelively.
glanced over at Yulyn. Meeting his gaze. She knew she would have to explain
herself to him sooner or later. But for right now, she was just glad to be
alive.
a shoehorn in those ID Drives.” Renee griped good-naturedly at Liam as she made
the final adjustments.
the job done.”
watched and waited as the Taelon Mothership struggled to come alive. Slowly
stuttered awake with the new, but alien, ID Drives in place.
platform to hug Yulyn. She planed to tell him before she left the ship, that
she had portaled his father’s body into the medical bay.
snugly around the young prince.
away. The shine of emotion reflected in his eyes. Somewhere along the line,
Renee had become part of his family. Renee felt the same.
shoulders, “We’re all connected, remember? You and I have a bond that
transcends time and space.”
mean?”
Renee. And it was the strength of your will that made it happen. And it is that
same will, that could open the next chapter.”
around to a point here that she probably wasn’t going to like.
after learning of Liam’s and Ra-jel’s ‘plan’. The two followed in close behind
her.
my destiny is over. No offense, but I just want to resume an alien free
lifestyle, thank you very much.” Renee turned back to look at them as she
stepped up onto the docking bay. “Ra-jel, it’s been interesting dealing with
you… Liam, let’s go.” With that, she turned back around. Fully expecting Liam
to follow her in.
Watching her closely.
didn’t really fully understand where Liam had been the past months, but she
didn’t want to lose him to it again. She had already lost so many people she
had cared about.
you should listen to what Ra-jel has to say.”
your view of alien species has been unduly poisoned by Zo’or’s malevolent
leadership of the Taelon Synod,”
of an improvement.” Renee replied sarcastically.
he was going to say.
exploring the heavens. And then sharing the wonders with your own species.”
offer, Ra-jel, but I just want to go home.”
didn’t. “You’ve just got to let it go, Renee. There is a more noble purpose out
there. And it’s your destiny to be at the forefront of humanity’s next great
enterprise.” He paused a moment before continuing, “Space travel.”
accompany you.”
as to how to respond to this well planed launch of attack. Yulyn had just come
up behind them. Concern and hope on his features.
and protecteherehere she could have her daughter in peace. And they wouldn’t
have to be involved in the rest of the world.
could keep her daughter hidden for long? What kind of life would Renee be offering
her child then? If they remained on Earth, she would always be alone or feared.
Or locked up in some lab for experiments. She would always be on the run. What
kind of life was that?
Liam’s, pre precede with her so-called destiny. And raise her child up among
the stars as she deserved.
sighed. Knowing Liam and Ra-jel had played her beautifully.
“I guess a ‘normal’ life would have been way overrated anyhow.” Renee walked
resolutely back towards the portal. “But first, I’m going to pick a few things
up at the Liar, and contact Hubble and Street. Let them know that I’m okay, and
what’s going on.”
protested. “I am not going to just disappear, and not let them know I’m
alright. I know how that feels.” Renee eyed Liam smartly before stepping
past him. Liam rubbed the back of his neck a little ruefully, before following
her out.
questioned her friend. Concerned seeing as how she hadn’t seen or heard from
her since the hospital.
that after picking up her things, and taking care of Sandoval’s body, that she
should have stopped by the apartment that Street was now sharing with that new
love interest of hers. And judging by the rock on her hand, Renee figured it
would be much more soon. But this goodbye was going to be hard enough, without
having to stand face to face to the woman that Renee had called her closest
friend and partner for the last year.
Atavus’ ship has been destroyed. The Atavus on board remained in stasis, and
were beamed up to the Mothership. Yulyn will be the leader now, and we’ll be
escorting them back to the home planet. The worst is over.”
and what happened with “Prince of Darkness” Ho, an, and his lapdog Sandoval?”
Street’s eyes widen in surprise.
want to get into the details right now. It’s done.”
quietly to herself. She didn’t know what to say. She knew Renee and Howlyn had
always had some twisted version of a relationship, right from the beginning.
Attracted to one another. Pulled to one another. And for a moment in time, even
lovers. But always on the opposite sides of this conflict. Both knowing they
could never give up the fight for the other. Fighting each other, even hating
each other. But both still wanting each other.
else that Renee had said. “What ‘we’ is escorting the Atavus back to their home
planet? Renee, I thought we agreed that you were going to keep your feet on the
ground where they belonged, after the conflict with the aliens was over.”
ear shot of the guys, before answering in a hushed tone.
would have crumpled beneath her. She was already starting to feel a headache
coming on.
quietly. Already knowing the answer.
it wouldn’t be necessary for me to leave Earth. You know that.”
with me.” Renee watched as Street went completely pale.
myself, and I don’t have time to try to explain. I need you to do a favor for
me. Well, actually two.”
Okay. Sure. Anything.” Street couldn’t possibly imagine what the urgency was,
that Renee couldn’t explain what was going on.
him know that the main threat is past now, and that Liam and I both are
alright. And second…” Renee paused to make sure Street was listening carefully.
“I want you to continue the search for the stasis chambers on Earth. There are
hundreds of them out there, and unless you find them, the threat to Earth will
never be fully behind us until they are located. Once you find them, don’t mess
with them. Chart their location, mark it, save it. Hopefully we’ll be back soon
to retrieve them. And don’t let anyone know about what you’re doing. Track down
Augur if you can. Get him to help you. We both know he could never resist helping
you.” Renee added wryly. “You two are the only ones I know of that are smart
enough to get this done.”
was asking her to do was no easy task. It was going to be next to impossible.
Renee stared pleadingly at her friend. Hoping she wouldn’t turn her down.
to promise me that this won’t be the last time I talk to you.”
I’ll do the best I can.”
luck, Renee.”
transmission.
wouldn’t let her down. She walked back over to join Liam at the front of the
deck. Overlooking Earth. She had changed clothes already into a more
comfortable, feminine, non-warrior type outfit. She had forgotten how much she
preferred to dress like this. She had released her lengthened blond hair from
it’s tight ponytail, and it flowed down around her shoulders. She came up
beside Liam, and started to speak.
spent pursuing my own goals with a vengeance. Because now I know I’m
heading towards something greater than myself, I can feel it. The great
unknown. Right?” Renee leaned in teasingly towards Liam. Hoping he wouldn’t
think her foolish.
more? Not knowing, or the idea of not having control?”
the whole time on Earth we are looking for the answers to those questions; Who
am I? Why am I here? What’s my purpose?” Renee glanced back into the
star-filled galaxy. “And they’re all out there.”
trying to be?” Liam spoke softly.
slyly. “So let’s find out.”
turned around and nodded her head at Ra-jel to begin. She met Yulyn’s gaze for
a moment, before turning back around, leaning closer to Liam, as the view of
Earth disappeared into the blinding flash of inter dimensional space
travel. Stars whizzing by them at an alarming rate. Renee felt a brief moment
of vertigo, as her body seemed to almost feel the detachment from Earth, and
all that was familiar.
support, as her mind acknowledged what she had just agreed to do, what she had
agreed to come along on. That combined with everything else that had happened
to her today, was enough to almost completely drain her. She didn’t remember
when she had felt this tired.
over to Ra-jel. “What now? How long will it take to reach the Atavus homeworld?
located in a completely different part of the universe.”
asked, surprised. “It took us months before to get to Earth.”
“The Taelon Mothership is a little more… advanced than your Atavan ship was.”
systems. She decided it was about time to crash for a few hours, recharge her
batteries, before getting some more info from Yulyn and Ra-jel, on what exactly
they were looking at once they arrived at the Atavus homeworld. All sorts of
scenarios ran through her head. All of them revolved around someplace that was
constantly over a 100 degrees in temperature. Not exactly a nice vacation spot
in Renee’s book.
order to put this day behind her, she had to put it completely behind
her. And that meant figuring out what needed to be done with Howlyn’s
body.
her eyes in surrender. She turned around to watch Yulyn pace towards her
quickly. She knew he had questions that she needed to answer. But that didn’t
mean she had to look forward to it.
embarrassed. “Um, when we were on my ship, Jaylis said some things that…
concerned me.” Yulyn broke off, not sure as to how to continue. “Were you and
Howlyn…?”
done with right now. “Yes, Howlyn was interested in me for other reasons than
killing me.” Renee paused a moment before continuing. “He pursued me, and I
fought him. I refused to become his… whatever the hell he wanted me for.” Renee
sighed, having a really hard time talking about this to Yulyn. He just watched
her. “He… located me at a rather difficult time for me in the middle of this
conflict a couple months back, and I would like to say that it was all his
doing, but… I did…submit to him momentarily, before managing to get away.”
Renee looked away from Yulyn. She could feel heat rising into her neck and
face. Silence cloaked the corridor, as Yulyn evaluated what she had just told
him. Renee met his gaze as he studied her quietly.
condemning not condoning her words.
at Renee one last time, and smiling gently at her in understanding, turned back
around and headed back to the Command deck.
of relief, and leaned up against the corridor wall. That had been harder than
she had thought it would be. Telling the son of the man who’s child you
carried, about a pregnancy that never should have come about, seeing as how
they were on different sides of a war… A son who now looked to you for
protection, wasn’t as easy as say, telling Street. Renee had never cared about
what other people thought of her. She had answered only to herself.
Yulyn and see that he got home safely, wasn’t an easy one. She had a
responsibility to him, as well as to her daughter. She didn’t want to let
either of them down.
She didn’t know what she was doing here. It wouldn’t make any difference.
Howlyn was dead, and she needed to get that past her, and get on with life. She
needed to figure out how to take care of her daughter on her own, and at the
same time, protect Yulyn, and get him and his brethren settled back on their
home planet.
his father’s body back to the Mothership, but now, she didn’t really think that
that was a good idea. Maybe the past just needed to be left there… in the past.
For both of them.
installed ID Drives, powepower had come back online in all decks. Alien
computer screens and terminals had awakened from their sleep, and were humming
quietly. Ready and waiting for use, although there was a rather noticeable lack
of personnel to run them.
many fond memories here. It had been the Taelon version of a experiment by way
of torture room. A lot of good people had had horrifying experiences here at
the hands of both species. Most of them, finding only death.
ghostly screams still ringing off the walls in here, and walked over to a
remote area of the Medical Bay, and to the secured vaults that the Taelon’s had
used to lock away their “faulty” creations.
want to see Howlyn again like that. She just wanted to get this done, and get
out. She felt like she was walking upon someone’s grave in here by herself.
vault system, and activated the terminal.
acknowledgment. “Confirm that there is no life force detected in the carbon-based
body in Vault 1-0-8.”
is no life force present.”
color:black'>Renee let out a sigh and nodded slowly to herself. She hadn’t
really expected it to be otherwise, but she couldn’t deny that one feeling of
hope that had trickled in from the moment had had stepped into the
were confirmed. Time to get on with it then, and pretend this never happened.
carbon-based body for extran ann and release into space.” Renee entered an
authorization code, and started to shut down the system, when the Computer
chirped a negative.
compliance can be made. There is no carbon-based body contained in Vault
1-0-8.”
color:black'>Renee groaned. Feeling her head start to pound. This day was just
getting longer and longer. Ra-jel must have given her the wrong Vault
designation, and now she had to start all over again.
body within the Vault system.” Renee waited impatiently as the computer
completed its scan.
within the vault system.”
request and had left Howlyn on the self-destructing ship?
to pick up speed, as she slowly made a sweep of the place with her eyes. Not
seeing anything out of the ordinary. She glanced back at the terminal in
confusion.
made?”
eyes starting to dart all over the
crept to the phase pistol securely latched at her side.
life form within
looking back at the terminal.
preparing for attack. She could hear her blood literally singing in her veins
from the adrenaline pumping through her body. “Computer, pinpoint the location
of the carbon-based life form within the Mothership.”
the carbon-based life form did not leave the
w:st="on">Medical
lightly under her breath. Pulling her phase pistol out. Making sure it was set
on stun. She didn’t know what kind of game this was, but she wasn’t about to
stick around to out out.
color:black'>Renee charged towards the entrance to the
not foolish enough to stick around any longer.
color:black'>
color:black'>Her hand had just reached out to slap the exit button on the
keypad, when something grabbed her hard from behind, and threw her to the metal
flooring. A body came down hard and feral on top of her. Pinning her in place.
He had her disarmed and had her arms behind her back before she could even
blink.
color:black'>
color:black'>He leaned over her, closer to the side of her face. His mane swung
forward to brush up against the exposed back of her neck. His hand twisted in
her hair. His hiss hot against her ear.
color:black'>
color:black'>“Leaving so soon, R?”