Chapter X

HLM appears behind Cal, making him jump in surprise and spin to face her.

“Pharaoh?! What is it?”

“We are under attack, Cal. I’ve sent the order for our war ships to enter our orbit.”

Cal looks at her in shock. Everything still looks peaceful, but the violent blasts of the war ships’ engines can be heard as they shoot up into the skies. Their sleek black shapes hide powerful weaponry built into the sturdy hulls, giving them both speed and power. The Pharaoh, however, takes no time to admire these marvels of engineering and technology.

As she strides to the mass communications room, she orders Cal, “Gather the ground and air troops for first civilian evacuation to the underground and then for massive offensive strikes at first sight of the enemy. They no longer have the advantage of total surprise, but we don’t know about their strength of number or arms. This is our home, and it will not be taken without a fight,” as she says this, she also projects it telepathically to the military and civilian leaders on the other worlds.

“Who is attacking us?”

“The Dark Kingdom, under the rule of Queen Metallia and,” she sends him a meaningful look, “Queen Beryl.”

Cal looks shocked for a mere instant before turning with a stiff salute and running to alert the forces to be on the ready. Already, the feint lights of crossfire can be seen in the dark sky.

She starts the mass communications crystals, and her powerful image is projected through all the lands. In a strong voice, she begins, “My people! I have returned to you at last! Sadly, a dangerous adversary is threatening us and our allies on the Earth and its Moon circling the star Sol! The land and sky forces will be escorting all those not in the armed or associated medical forces to their underground homes where we will try to keep you all safe! I will be commanding the forces and fighting by their sides. I implore all of you to be brave through these hard times and to keep love in your hearts as I will be! I love you all!”

With a loving gaze at her subjects, she strides quickly into the war room to confer with the military leaders from her worlds, confident that they carried out her orders.

Just as the strategic planning session is over, a young woman from communications notifies HLM that the leader of the enemy army attacking has contacted them and wants to speak with her.

She sits in her seldom used throne and nods to the woman to put their adversary on the big holographic simulator. Before her stands the stiff form of Nephrite in his gray uniform,, complete with cape and sword. His face is cold and hard as stone. In his eyes, though, she can see the excruciating pain deep under the cocky exterior.

Two can play at this game, she thinks, pushing her own shock and pain to the side and reflecting much the same look right back at him.

“I did not expect to see you again so soon, Nephraito-chan,” she comments coldly, influencing the “chan”.

“Konbanwa to you as well, M-chan,” he replies with a slight smirk. “Whatever happened to common courtesy to the man you love?”

Don’t let him get to you, HLM…don’t let him get to you.

“If you were still that man, we would not be in this exchange, now would we? Now, what is your purpose in contacting me?”

“So direct! Very well then, the lady wishes to be blunt, so I will be as well. Queen Beryl is a reasonable woman, and she offers an ultimatum.”

“And that is?”

“Surrender your worlds and yourself to her and become her servants, or fight and be destroyed.”

“I will not be a traitor to my people, unlike some in this communication.” She sends him a look that could evaporate metal.

He merely smiles slightly, although HLM can see deep in his eyes that her words had hurt him deeply.

Gods…I’m sorry, Neph…

“Very well, HLM. I will see you on the battle field.” He terminates the communication.

…what have I done?

Tears spill from her eyes as she rests her forehead on the heel of her hand, the other gripping the corresponding arm of her throne. Those are the last tears she sheds for a long time.

Nephrite sits in his private quarters, working on his fourth bottle of wine. He watches the ruby liquid in his glass as he swirls it.

She was so cold…so hard…

He downs the glassful and pours himself another. He’s starting to feel only slightly buzzed.

How could that be the same woman? That night…

He smiles slightly.

That night was so wonderful…the soft feel of her hair…skin…lips…her gentle touch…warm…

He sighs softly.

…and inside…

He shivers.

I suppose that’s the only time I’ll enjoy that pleasure. All I have now are memories.

He downs that glass, and then the rest of that bottle.

…she hates me now, though…and…

Another bottle is opened and another glass downed, with three more glasses following.

…and I can’t bring myself to do the same…

By now he’s pretty drunk. Not to the point of numbness, though. Not nearly drunk enough.

“…how am I going to do this?” he asks himself as he pours himself more wine with shaking hands and a soft sob.

Two and a half months later, two worlds had been killed, now just lifeless pieces of rocks floating in the endless void of space, and one was blown into pieces. HLM is in the cockpit of one of the sleep little space battle ships. She’s long past the point of morning sickness, but not showing that much yet, and her pregnancy is a secret to everyone save Cal, her personal physician and herself. She pulls an expert maneuver, puling the ship vertical and looping behind her adversary before blowing the enemy sheep into oblivion. She curses as several air ships punch their way through the thinning web of space ships.

“Looks like we’re taking this battle into the atmosphere, people,” she says into the speaker attached to her headphones. “Air forces ready?”

“Yes, Pharaoh,” comes the reply.

“I’ll be right there with you. Good luck.”

“You, too.”

She veers to head the formation into the atmosphere and switches her craft from space to air as soon as the gravity normalizes. A light  starts flashing on her console. She flips the switch above it and Neph’s handsome face appears on the small screen by it.

“What do you want, Nephrite?” She asks in a dry tone. “I’m a little busy at the moment.” She blasts a ship out of the sky that was trailing a ship in her fleet.

“You fight almost as well as you make love, M-chan,” he comments with a smile that’s charming in and evil sort of way.

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Neph. Though I wish I could say the same of you,” she shoots back as she gets on the tail of another air craft. She takes it out, but notes that even more are closing in from her extended radar. She feels two more of her worlds die at this time as well. One evaporated somehow from within, the other bled dry.

“You sting me to the core, fair one. Though, for all your prowess on the battlefield, it would appear your forces do not share it. There are only two of your worlds left, but I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that.

Again, I offer a deal. Surrender your worlds to us and have the remainder of your people live in servitude to the special place among the ranks, pharaoh M-chan. You can’t tell me that you don’t want another night like the one we shared in the Moon Kingdom.”

“General,” she responds, voice still dry, “you have a tongue of silver.” She picks another craft off, wincing slightly when one of her own goes down. “You know my answer, though. I’m sure you know very well that there are fates worse than death. You also know that I love my people too much to subject them to such a future.”

“As you wish, beautiful pharaoh.”

She terminates the transmission this time before him. Frowning slightly, she watches as the enemy retreats.

What the hell is he up to now?

She circles a few more times to make sure all of the adversaries are gone. Shaking her head sadly at the entire situation, she says into the speaker, “Looks like we can land.”

There are sounds of relief over all of the radios, and she can’t help but chuckle softly.

“Not having fun?” she asks, once they’re on the ground and gathered in the garage, gentle humor in her voice.

“No, not really, Pharaoh. You?” Kev, a young, skilled recruit responds.

“Me neither. I’d rather be soaking in a nice hot bath right about now.” She grins gently. “You folks take the rest of the night off.”

If your heads are pounding as badly as mine, you probably need it. Oh, Neph…I miss the good old days. You were so sweet…your touch felt so good. I wish things hadn’t changed in this way…I wish you could help me with this child…

A ragged cheer goes up as they head into the building. Cal comes up to her as soon as she enters behind the rest of the pilots. She throws her arms around her friend.

Bewildered, he hugs her back and looks down at her.

“…Pharaoh…?”

She looks up at him with a small smile. “I’m glad to see you still alive, Cal.”

He smiles softly. “And I you, HLM.”

She grins a little and straitens up, blinking as he puts his hand on her still mostly flat belly. “Is the baby alright? You’re not showing yet…”

HLM can’t help chuckling. “Cal, I’m only two and a half months along…”

“Yes, but don’t humans stay pregnant for a shorter amount of time?”

“A whole month shorter…so I’ll be giving birth in six and a half months’ time rather than seven and a half. I’m ok, Cal…and so is the baby.”

He nods a little. “Hungry?”

“Ravenous. What’s on the menu?”

“Today we have gruel, gruel and more gruel.”

She grins wryly. “Ah…just what I was craving.”

He chuckles softly. “Will you be dining with the troops again tonight?”

“Unfortunately, no. I’ve got some paperwork and plans I’d like to go over with you.”

“My friend, “ he starts gently. “You’ve got to start going a little easier on yourself. You push yourself harder than you do anyone else. When is the last time you had a day off?”

The chastised look she gives him as they head to the cafeteria confirms what he already knows. “HLM…”

“Cal…I know. It’s just that this is war, and I can’t rest any more than is absolutely necessary.” She sighs. “I’ve already failed so many…”

He rests an arm around her shoulders. “You’re doing the best you can,” he simply tells her. He blinks as she suddenly stops dead in her tracks.

“Pharaoh…?”

Chapter IX
Chapter XI
Life Between Worlds Index