Zein: The Homecoming (17 page)

That morning it was decided that a good sized advance force would follow Tate Malacca back to the Aeria Cavern to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Zein. The force numbered thousands with more following later that day with some armour.

Of the initial force over half would be a mixture of the Malacca and Blackstone clan supported by a brigade of US Fighting First troops. Others making up the numbers included the companions, Walter and his main senior science team. The troops coming later would be mainly from the Malacca clan and US Marine Core.

Prior to this a small group, led by Kabel, went to search for Tyson with one of the diggers. The digger made short work of the rubble where Tyson had been seen last. Much to the relief of the companions, especially Amelia and Bailey, they found no sign of him. They returned to the
Elanda
with a spring in their step, upbeat that Kabel’s dream that Tyson was alive could be true.

When they marched into the Aeria Cavern, all the clans came out to greet them. This was the day of their dreams; the Inter-Galactic Expeditionary Force was back and with help.

There was a heady excitement as they entered through the main South Gate. Gemma felt the thrill of the occasion. Leading the troops were the two Lord Chancellors, Kabel and Tate, who were initially cagey around each other, the former due to memories of the Eastern Quadrant on Earth, the latter with his distrust of the Blackstone clan.

One person, who couldn’t keep the smile off her face, was Safah.
A Blackstone Chancellor! Now we will see who is in charge
. Kabel caught the triumphalism of his distant relative and didn’t like what he had heard. He decided that she was one to watch.

The soldiers marched in orderly ranks through the cheering crowds. Kabel noticed the ramshackle but tall and strong barricade and the decay apparent within the perimeter. He saw the fear and relief in people’s eyes and how thin and malnourished they were and was thankful that he had thought ahead and asked for stores to be brought from the provisions on ship.

‘Why do you have the barricades outside the Outer Perimeter Barrier?’ he asked Tate.

‘Our zinithium stocks are so low and the shield we have is weak. If we allowed the Pod to attack it they would weaken it so much that it would collapse.’

‘So you take the brunt of the force and thereby retain a semblance of protection?’ Tate confirmed that this was the correct interpretation.

Kabel assessed the inner defences behind the Outer Perimeter Barrier and he was shocked, as the wall was only roughly twice the height of him, with a raised platform behind it for those defending. With any kind of athletic scaling or ladder, you would easily breach it. He made this point to Tate, who didn’t disagree.

‘We don’t know whether it will work or not, no Pod has ever breached the barricades,’ said Tate, with a slight
shrug of his shoulders. ‘It was built as an afterthought and I do agree with you that it may prove ineffective.’

Kabel grunted and ran his eye around the inner wall as far as he could see. At least there were no breaks in the wall except for the iron gates at each watch tower which guarded the approach to the main gates.

‘You may be better pulling back and giving your superior weapons more of a field of fire.’

‘You mean give away a line of defence?’ said Tate, surprised at the suggestion.

‘If your enemy climbs over that,’ said Kabel looking at the high barricades, ‘then a wall that size is not going to stop them. You may be better using it to break up the attack and then picking off the attackers with their momentum broken.’

‘Hmmm, you may have a point,’ said Tate, as a young girl ran forward and handed him some small flowers. Tate smiled and took the flowers after ruffling the little girl’s shock of red hair. The little girl smiled and then ran back to an older girl with the same coloured hair.

Bailey, who was strolling in with Hechkle and Bronstorm, stopped in mid stride as he caught the flash of red hair and his eyes were drawn to the older girl. It was like seeing a ghost. Both his friends followed his glance and their faces expressed the same surprise…if they hadn’t known better there stood Evelyn, younger yes, but the same fierce and passionate look. The girl must have been only around fourteen but already was wearing full body armour.

Bailey stepped closer to Tate and tapped him on the shoulder. ’Who is that girl?’ Tate looked towards the girl Bailey pointed out and smiled.

‘That’s Eva and the small girl is Mia, they are the daughters of the late Lord Fathom.’

‘Who looks after them?’ Hechkle asked, as he peered at the two girls as they ran off to watch the parade. In answer Tate pointed to a youngish woman and it was easy to see she was a Fathom, her hair making any argument pointless.

‘And she is…?’

‘Cadence Southgate, married to Prince Taio,’ replied Tate, struggling to hide his disgust for the prince; something which was not lost on Hechkle.

‘Once we have settled in can you please introduce us?’ asked Hechkle. He felt protective towards the girls and seeing Eva brought all the memories back of Princess Evelyn.

They moved onto a large road that was busy with cheering crowds. He spotted two massive doors ahead to the left, regal looking and closed which appeared to lead to a walled-in settlement.

‘What’s behind those doors?’

‘That is where the Changelings reside. Those doors are rarely open.’

‘Why, surely they have to come out for food and water?’

‘They are self-sufficient and eat and drink very little.’

‘Hate to tell you, Lord Malacca, but I think those doors are not staying closed now,’ said Kabel, just as the heavy doors started to open. He was immediately amused and interested to see who and what was behind the opening gates - would it be a pack of wolfhounds like Zebulon? The large wooden gates opened slowly. Tate and Kabel brought the soldiers to a halt. The cheering stuttered and then stopped with all eyes drawn to what was going to come out of those gates.

The gates fully extended outwards and all those waiting saw a wondrous sight. Fifty Changelings ran out and formed a decorative honour guard, twenty five each side. They held large swords with which they saluted
the following Changelings, who in full regalia marched out of the compound. Kabel noted that the soldiers also held three-pronged weapons, which could only be called tridents, and they marched in rows of ten abreast. Their golden tunics and blue trousers provided a colourful yet surprising picture.

‘Who the…?’ said Tate. His gaze rested on the two people leading the column. There was a woman in a breath-taking and sumptuous jewel encrusted dress, walking with immense pride and dignity, but it was the person beside her that caught his eye and the other inhabitants. The man’s demeanour was of royalty, a fact reinforced by the Changelings who had run out from the gates to provide the salute, snapping their heels together and bringing their swords to their noses. They then bowed and pushed the sword away from their bodies in an arc which itself was a token of respect. The broad shouldered Changeling continued on his path, heading for them, not looking left or right, his eyes adjusting to the welcoming committee in front of him. Kabel could see that Tate was confused.

He doesn’t know who this is, strange
.

There was something familiar in the stride of the Changeling, the way he carried himself and as he drew nearer, Kabel took in his countenance and then looked into his amber speckled eyes.

Zebulon! It was the missing Changeling
.

As the realisation hit him the party reached them.

‘Hello, Kabel, Lord Chancellor,’ Zebulon addressed his friend first and then Tate.

‘Zebulon, is that you?’ said Amelia, before Kabel and anyone else could say the words.

‘Yes, I am Zebulon the Great, son of Heathlon and Keeper of the Zein Star.’

‘Holder of what?’ said an incredulous Bailey, as his eyes drank in the sight in front of his disbelieving eyes.

‘It means that he is the keeper of the magics and that makes him the most revered of his kind and of all people on Zein,’ answered Tate, slightly in awe.

‘Wow, and there was I thinking he made a good pussy cat,’ said Bailey, not able to resist a witticism.

Zebulon ignored him. Bailey was not surprised.

‘My people will no longer hide behind gates but stand with all Zeinonians against any invaders to fight for our planet.’ The rest of the remaining Inner Council cast their eye over what appeared to be approximately five hundred heavily armed Changelings who had marched after the two majestic individuals before them and now stood silently. They were all the same height and very similar in looks. In their silence they projected a menacing air that made the hair on your arms stand up.

Our planet? The way he said that it was if this was his planet,
puzzled Tate.

Kabel stepped forward and offered his hand to Zebulon in welcome. Zebulon took his hand with a firm grip. Tate, gave the more formal Zein salute, which Zebulon mirrored back. ‘We have a seat available for the emergency Inner Council meeting to discuss the Pod threat,’ said Tate, ‘do you want to join us?’

Zebulon agreed and directed his guards to remain where they were. As the senior members of the Expedition Force and the Inner Council all moved to the Royal Council building, Bailey sidled up to the imperious Changeling.

‘Like your new look Zeb.’

‘Feels a little strange, if I were to be honest,’ said Zebulon, not falling for Bailey’s grinning barb.

‘Y-you prefer to be a dog?’ stuttered the surprised human.

‘Got you,’ said a smiling Zebulon, causing Hechkle to start laughing at Bailey’s confused face. Bailey, seeing that he had fallen for the line, grimaced. It wasn’t every day he was suckered in but he couldn’t resist a smile at how the tables had been turned on him.

They entered the Royal Council building and took their places in the Inner Council with the Expeditionary Force represented by General Corder, Kabel and Belina. The others remained outside. Due to the extraordinary events, Tate had decided that the meeting was to be a public and open meeting and speakers were turned on for the benefit for the inhabitants of the community. It was something which was done a few times a mano, to broker unity. Tate Malacca stood up to address the council and the people of the Aeria Cavern.

Belina noticed his huge, strong, coarse hands that gripped the lectern in front of him. She could not help herself and found her eyes wandering up his body, taking in its strength and poise. She felt the immediate attraction to the brooding figure, taking in the battle weariness around his eyes, a hint of sadness but also strength. Belina had spent many of her joyless early years experiencing Malacca warriors’ macho posturing, which they had made an art form. The man in front of her was no bragger, no need for unnecessary fits of temper to impress his will on others – you could see that from his bearing and the haunted look in his eyes he had nothing to prove, either to himself or others. Kabel straightened up next to her as he caught the turbulent thoughts in his sister. He held back his disapproval but with his protective nature couldn’t help narrowing his eyes at Tate in warning.

Tate for his part noticed the change in the magics and struggled to pin point where it was coming from, until his
eyes fixed on Belina and was instantly captivated,
the girl from Reinan
, then he felt a presence just behind him.

‘Are you all right Lord Chancellor?’ It was Kron.

Tate became acutely aware that he had stood and allowed the change in the magics’ flow to disrupt his opening speech. He glanced around and saw the questioning glances as they waited for him to speak.
Pull it together man
, he admonished himself.

He cleared his throat.

‘Greetings, your worshipful Elders and honoured guests, after so many years of hope we have been blessed with the return of the Zein Inter-Galactic Expeditionary Force. We welcome you and our new allies.’ With that he bowed to General Corder, who hesitantly, not sure what to do, returned the bow awkwardly.

‘As Lord Chancellor…,’ said Tate, and then stopped. Safah had stood up requesting the floor of the Council. Tate hid his annoyance and waved her forward to make her point.
What does the old battle-axe want now?

‘Point of order, Lord Malacca, I would like to make a recommendation to the Inner Council,’ said Safah, in a condescending tone that communicated that she was far superior to him and the words requesting to speak, were just a nicety.

Lord Malacca rather than Lord Chancellor
.

Tate sensed Kron tensing next to him and hidden by the lectern, he pushed the palm of his hand repeatedly down, in an attempt to calm his second-in-command.

‘According to Zein Law, Lord Blackstone should be the Lord Chancellor, though I would like to say for the record what a good job Lord Malacca has done for the community as an able deputy.’

Her insincere words grated on Tate. With all the battles he had won, family lost and sacrifices he had made, then
to be cast aside as a “deputy”, was galling. He had no idea how he maintained his passive face.

There was no way on Zein that Kron would let this go.

Sure enough the fierce warrior next to him pushed aside all protocol. ‘How can you say that? If it was not for the Lord
Chancellor
Malacca you would all be dead,’ Kron shouted, emphasising the missing element of the title as provided by Safah. She didn’t flinch.

‘Lord Malacca, can you keep your pet under control in the Inner Council or have him removed,’ she said coldly.

‘There is no need for that Lady Blackstone.’

Tate turned to Kron and attempted to placate him. Kron’s eyes shot daggers in the direction of the patronising Blackstone and even Safah’s egotistical swagger retreated somewhat. Tate sent a warning glance at Kron and the intimidating warrior simmered quietly. When he saw Kron had accepted, albeit reluctantly, the request he returned to his address to the Inner Council.

‘Lady Blackstone and honoured members of the Inner Council, I am fully aware of Zein Law and protocol. This will be the last Inner Council I will chair and I will ask Lord Blackstone to accept his rightful position, as one of the agenda items today.’ Safah’s triumphant look grated on Tate but he ignored it.