From: Joy Phillips (jkatjovi_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Sep 17 2007 - 12:03:32 PDT
“A lifetime in war”
An FRPG Novella
Written by Joy Phillips
Describing the life and times of Ensign Izshlana Vort
Assistant chief security officer USS STONEHENGE
Chapter 1
Altha III is a small blue planet, it is the third
planet from Alta the sun of the system, and it orbits
the sun in
549 days spinning on its axis once every 16 hours.
The planet is made up of many oceans, broken up
occasionally by small islands, one of these islands is
a purple and silvery island known as Vort Saltha.
The Vort Mansion was settled into the middle of Vort
Saltha, it was a sprawling expanse of a building that
towered over the surrounding trees but was itself
dwarfed by a tall slender mountain. The mansion itself
was in fact more of a village than one single home;
each separate familial unit within the extended family
had a wing or a complex within the larger building.
The Vort leader held the main part of the house,
currently he was stood on the doorstep to his home,
the large door behind him was open and children were
running in the hallway laughing and shouting.
The beach that came right up to the front of the house
shimmered silvery white in the bright sunlight, a loud
thrumming noise interrupted the serenity of the scene
and he glanced up to see a Dominion shuttle marring
the clear purple sky.
“They’re patrolling again.” The voice of his eldest
son sounded close behind him and Dalran Vort jumped,
“You were quiet.” He accused the younger version of
himself.
Damal grinned and shrugged, “my nieces and nephews
seem to be making enough noise to cover a stampede of
Hurnta.”
Dalran glanced at his grandchildren and then nodded at
his son, the jem’hadar patrol forgotten as he stepped
into the safety of his home and closed the door behind
him, “How’s Izla?”
“Irritable,” Damal grinned, “ready to give birth and
frustrated that it’s not happening yet.”
Dalran laughed and then both men paled as a scream
echoed from the main hall. The two ran in the
direction of the scream to be greeted by a wall of
women. Damal’s mother caught his arm and smiled in a
soothing way. “She’s gone into labour.”
“That’s a normal sound?” he asked, his skin still pale
as he looked nervously into the room his wife was
currently occupying.
Talyer smiled and nodded, “she’ll be fine, now, go and
do something useful.”
Something useful consisted of pacing the floor outside
the Vort mansion, Dalran came out after a moment and
shook his head. “Still no news,” He told his son.
The home was suddenly quiet as the children where
being used to deal with the menial tasks of fetching
and carrying, the men all hovered around the expectant
father.
Damal kicked at the floor, a birth was always a family
affair with the whole household on edge as the chances
of both mother and child surviving was around 10% the
Vort’s had had a good run over the last few years
mainly due to the advanced talents of Talyer, the
woman had been a healer before she had married into
the family and the love and security the Vort name had
given her only increased her abilities.
Talyer stepped through the door and all heads turned
towards her, she looked tired and leaned against the
door jam wearily breathing in the fresh sea air. “How
is she?” Damal demanded of his mother.
His father offered Talyer a supporting arm; she took
it as he helped her to sit down on the top step. “She
is fine, although struggling a little it’s nothing to
worry about.” She breathed deeply again,
“Do you need help?” Dalran asked, “I can send for
aid?”
Talyer smiled up at her husband, the only time he
would consider requesting aid from another clan was if
one of their children’s lives were at risk. “She is
safe for now.”
She held her hands out and the men all tried to help
pull her to her feet. “If I need help in half an hour
I’ll send a runner, now,” she leaned towards her
husband and whispered in his ear. “Take him and give
him some tasks, his worry is palpable and if the child
has talent he will cause damage before it is even old
enough to learn.”
Dalran nodded and watched his wife head back to the
labour chamber then he looked at his sons, his younger
brother and his nephews. He nodded, “well we’ve
discussed making the falls and lake safe for the
children, now seems as good a time as any.”
A few grumbles met with the suggestion but the men
went to get their tools and Dalran dragged his son
away from the house.
Behind the house was the highest point on the island,
a mountain rose to three times the height of the
building, at the top a spring trickled from under the
ground, around half way down it pooled into a recess
into the mountain and then fell from the mountain to
the ground where a lake opened up before the water
wound its way out and towards the sea.
The elder Vort children had been jumping from the
upper pool into the lower lake for as long as it had
been there, to get to the pools though they had to
make their way through the forest the group of men
walked quickly through the yellow and golden leaves
and grasses enjoying the sun on their backs they
laughed and chatted telling stories and trying to perk
the expectant father up.
The group froze on the edge of the lake, the jem’hadar
shuttle glinted in the sunlight, the group of soldiers
moving around the waters edge as thought they owned
the land.
“You’re on my land.” Dalran called out his voice
echoed around the clearing, behind him his family
shifted their grips on their axes and spades.
“We’re on Dominion soil.” One called out, “It’s not
been your land for many years.”
Dalran gritted his teeth, behind him his family were
ready to fight and die for him, the Jem’hadar staring
at him noticed this, “we’re here to replenish our
fresh water supply.” He answered, “From *our* water
stocks here on this island.”
Dalran nodded once, “well then, take your fill and
go!”
The jem’hadar each made a show of slowly drinking as
much as they wanted and then taking anything they
could fill full of water. Eventually they left but the
party atmosphere had died, the men calmly went about
the business of making the path up to the higher pool
safe.
“They didn’t want water.” An elder cousin muttered.
Damal nodded and focused his aggression and worry on
chopping down a nearby tree until small footfalls
could be heard and a young boy, one of the fastest in
the clan appeared. “It’s a girl.” He gasped out of
breath, “they’re both well.”
Damal dropped the axe and looked around, grinning his
father yelled. “Well what are you waiting for boy?”
Running Damal reached the house and burst into the
labour chamber. Izla was sat up and holding a freshly
cleaned baby in her arms, she looked tired but greeted
him with a radiant smile as he entered the room.
He nodded to his mum and then sat on the floor next to
his wife, she carefully handed the baby to her father.
“She’s a beautiful girl.”
“And perfectly healthy,” Talyer added from the side of
the room, nodding to her daughter the matriarch said.
“Call me if you need anything, I think I need my
rest.”
Izla smiled and then turned and stroked her daughters
dark hair. After a brief moment Damal touched his
daughter’s cheek, the silver skin turned a pale blue
and spread out from his hand in acknowledgement of
their father daughter bond.
“Hello Izshlana, I’m your daddy.” He told her quietly,
lying down Izla beamed as her husband named their
daughter after her mother.
=[/\]=
Chapter 2
The passage of time from baby to toddler to young
child went about as quickly as it should.
A small seven year old girl sat on the beach in front
of her home, she was staring out at the purple sea as
far as she could, something about the water always
seemed to captivate and amaze her, holding her
entranced for hours at a time. Her father sat down
next to her with a hefty thump and a sigh. Izshlana
looked up and then grinning threw herself into his
arms. “Daddy,” he smiled and the stresses of the last
few days washed away as he hugged his daughter,
“you’re home.”
He leaned back and looked at his daughter, “your hair
is blue.” He commented,
“Yours is green.” She answered he blinked and she
watched as he slowly changed his hair and skin colour.
She giggled “OK now it’s blue.”
“What colour are you going for?” he asked her.
“The colour of the sea,” she answered looking at the
vast expanse of purple waves.
Her father concentrated for just a brief moment and
then turned to look at her, his skin was a beautiful
purple that almost echoed the sea his hair and eyes
the darker purple of the sky. Izshlana pouted at him,
“how can it come so easily to you?”
“Practice,” he answered, he touched his daughters
cheek and watched as the skin around his hand glowed
blue briefly and then he shook his head, “you’ll learn
to control it.”
She nodded and then looked out at the sea again, a
churning not far from the beach made her look up.
“They’re coming.” She said and stood up, she ran up
the beach to the house while her father watched
bemused.
A few moments later a tribe of Salmanics surfaced and
Dalran was there to greet them, “hail friends.” He
waded into the sea without a look at his son, Damal
followed a beat behind his father as the aquatic race
raised fish like heads from the water.
Izshlana watched them; she didn’t understand the
strange language of the Salmanics but her grandfather
and father obviously did as they held a conversation,
only half of which she could make out.
“The resistance stays strong on land.” Dalran answered
what was possibly a question.
Izzy crept closer until she was almost touching the
water a strange fear kept her from following her
father who was now stood waist deep in the waves.
“We want what you want.” Damal spoke up, “we want this
planet to be safe for our children.”
The water bubbled ferociously and Izzy skipped back
away from the waves that lapped at her feet.
“We need to stand together, show them unity.”
“Daddy,” Izzy suddenly spoke up, a shadow was creeping
over the beach looking up she could see the ship
hovering, the fear of the Dominion beat the fear of
the water and drove her forwards she made it to her
dad and tugged on his clothes as red lights flashed
from the sky, the water bubbling suddenly pulled her
off her feet as she was only small and not a strong
swimmer.
Her father tried to catch her but one of the red
lights struck her high on the shoulder. She tried to
scream and swallowed a lung full of water she could
hear her father shouting as though from a great
distance. Her world started to go black and then a
fishy face appeared in front of her.
The Salmanics had kept her alive under water for
hours, or at least it had felt like hours. She was
cold and wet and shivering when she was eventually
deposited on the warm sand of Vort Saltha.
The white silvery beach was home and she clung to it
and sobbed her fears into the ground the red lights
had stopped but everything seemed eerily silent, her
grandmother wrapped her up in warm thoughts of sand
and sweets, of summer days under the bright yellow
leaves of the forest and the warm comfort of family
who loved her.
She stayed like that for days, wrapped up in the
warmth of her blankets and thoughts, in her private
chambers, her mother and grandmother took up a vigil
be her bedside, the two women trying to keep her
comfortable while she remained unconscious.
“How’s she doing?” her fathers voice was deep and full
of concern, he spoke quietly not to wake his daughter
if she showed signs of doing so.
His mother shook her head slowly. “The phaser burn was
deep, if she hadn’t already been falling it would have
taken her head clean off.” She said sadly, “and the
Salmanics well they may have saved her life but I
don’t know if she will be damaged by it.”
“Damaged how?” her father demanded. Izla took his hand
in hers and shook her head,
“Nothing like that,” She comforted him, “they saved
her life, and they kept her safe while we chased the
Jem’Hadar off, we owe them a debt.”
“But damaged?”
“She’s a child Damal,” his mother snapped, “with a
child’s fears; we just must hope that she recovers
fully.”
=[/]=
Chapter 3
An eleven year old Izshlana stared at the sea, she
stood well up the beach as well away from the lapping
water as she could. A vehicle hovered on the water,
her father approached her a bag on his shoulder.
“I don’t want to go.” She muttered to him.
“Why?” he asked.
She paused not sure how to articulate her fears of
being away from her family, her fears of travelling
across the vast sea to a place she’d never seen
before. She scowled inwardly and muttered, “I just
don’t”
Her father grinned and shook his head, “You’re eleven,
and you wanted to join the military, which means you
have to leave for the academy. Besides I’ll be able to
visit from time to time.”
“Time to time,” Izzy repeated her fathers words back
to him her sadness evident in her voice.
Damal smiled and leaned down so they were eye to eye.
“Every chance I get for as long as I can. But it’s
time for you to meet other children, and learn things
the Vort’s can’t teach you. Plus you can come home for
the holidays.”
She scowled openly at the thought that there was
anything her family couldn’t teach her, but accepted
her fathers hand as he led her to the craft hovering
over the water. He placed the bag in the shuttle and
then lifted his daughter onto it. “OK, you remember,
you’re representing the Vort’s so you be respectful
and do whatever you’re told.”
Izzy rolled her eyes and pulled tongues at her father
he pretended to catch it and then kissed his daughter
on the forehead. “Have fun.”
She nodded and then moved into the shuttle. An older
lad around fourteen glanced up from a book he read as
Izzy took a seat as far away from the only other
occupant as she could.
Tyran Tallack offered the young girl an encouraging
smile. “Is this your first year?”
She blushed and nodded pulling her bag onto the seat
next to her, “yeah.” She muttered and buried her head
in the bag.
The older lad grinned, “I’m Tyran.”
“Izshlana,” she muttered into the bag again.
“Larna?” Tyran asked trying to catch what she’d just
said.
She looked up and blushed deeper as her blue eyes
clashed with his silver ones. “Izshlana, my family
call me Iz, or Izzy.”
“I prefer Larna.” He teased. “Anyway, don’t worry, so
long as you remember your cover story everything will
be fine?”
“Cover story?” She asked finally coming out of the bag
and turning to watch the older boy.
“Sure, the Dominion thinks we’re a school for the
misbehaving children.”
Izshlana looked at him in disbelief as he laughed,
“Seriously though, they can’t know what we’re doing or
they’ll attack us first of all.”
Izzy nodded in understanding, they carried on the
journey talking about the school until they landed at
Ambarla. Ambarla was the large central Island on Altha
III, it housed the school and the Dominions seat of
government on the planet.
They had a short transport hop to the military academy
which Tyran Tallack helped her find and then suddenly
she was in the middle of a large courtyard.
Tyran pointed her towards the administration building
before he was yelled to by some of his friends and
found his way across to them.
Looking around at the mass of children about to start
school Izzy shouldered the bag and headed towards the
building. Inside she was confronted by a Vorta as well
as two Alterians, seeing her one of the Alterians
checked a PADD. “Izshlana Vort?”
She nodded the once and the Vorta sneered at her, “she
looks a bit scrawny to be any trouble to her family.”
“Your family sent you for discipline lessons?”
She nodded **Look alive girl, you’re meant to be a
problem child,** the voice snapped in her head, Izzy
grimaced, Tyran hadn’t been lying after all.
“Right, bring it on.” She declared hopelessly, the
administrator rolled her eyes but another child in the
room sniggered.
“I could take you.” A girl around a head taller than
Izzy snarled, “He’s right, you’re scrawny.”
Izzy turned around and without blinking head butted
the taller girl in the nose. A major scuffle arose and
the girls were separated and somehow sneaked into a
rather elegant room. “Well I guess you two are room
mates, Izshlana see if you can help Karel stop the
nose bleed you caused.” The administrator muttered and
left the room.
Izzy and Karel grinned at each other, “Well that was
fun.” Izzy commented grinning from ear to ear.
“Hell yeah,” Karel agreed, “Next time don’t head butt
me so hard though.”
The two grinned and Izzy found an old top in her bag
which she used to help her new roommate stem the flow
of blood from her nose. “I’m Izshlana by the way.”
“I’m Karel and I bagsy the bed by the window.”
Izzy shrugged and dumped her bag on the big bed
nearest to the door, she clambered onto it and sat
staring at the ceiling, “so now what are we meant to
do?” Izshlana muttered.
“I don’t know.” Karel shrugged as she checked her nose
for damage. “How about we go pretend to be bad kids
some more?”
The two grinned at each other and then snook out of
the door, they crept around the building that was the
dormitories and housing for children and teachers
alike until they came to a door partially open,
listening in the two girls giggled and then shushed
each other.
Listening at the door they could hear the Vorta
barking directions as he ordered his Jem’Hadar to
prepare for withdrawing from the school. He also
seemed to be talking to someone else. “We have the
full list of children assigned to the school this
year.”
“They must think we’re stupid.” A woman’s voice
muttered, “Discipline school indeed.”
“Well you will be in the best position to learn more
this year.”
“Finally,” the woman sneered back, Karel moved and a
floorboard creaked the two looked at each other and a
moment later the door flung open and they where being
towered over by a Jem’hadar.
“Well, little girlies,” he muttered,
The Vorta was suddenly next to the Jem’hadar; all
humour lost the two girls stared up at their
suppressors. “What did you hear?” he ordered.
“Nothing.” Izzy managed through a stammer, “we were
just walking past.”
He glared from one girl to the other and each stared
back defiantly when a voice echoed down the corridor.
“There you two are, what are you doing out of your
rooms?”
Izzy and Karel turned to see Tyran striding down the
corridor to them, his long legs only took him a few
seconds to reach them and he hauled them both up into
his arms. “Sorry, they sneaked out before we had time
to band them.”
The Vorta glared at him but ignoring him the older lad
carted the two girls away from the room, he dropped
them once they where around the corner and glared.
“What where you two doing?”
“Listening in,” Izzy said calmly, “the Vorta said
someone would be in a position to learn about us this
year.”
Karel prodded Izzy who shrugged and looked up at Tyran
expectantly. The older boy shook his head, “you’re
meant to stay in your rooms until you’re called, and
stay away from the Jem’hadar; they’re as likely to
kill you as not.”
Izshlana glared at Tyran, “you don’t believe me.”
“I’ll talk to one of the teachers, now get off the
corridors.”
=[/]=
Chapter 4
The first few days of military school was a series of
tests and exercises to judge the first year’s mental
powers and physical prowess, the older kids tended to
work as adjudicators and referees. They where given
groups to keep an eye on and eventually some of those
children would start to be mentored by the elder
children.
At the end of the first week classes were posted up
along with who was mentoring whom. The first lists
were posted on Saturday morning, Izzy and Karel where
among the crush of first years trying to get in to see
the lists.
“Who’s your mentor?” Izzy yelled across her fellow
first years heads. “Saram Amalda.” Karel answered and
narrowed her eyes, “what’s she good at?” Izzy and
Karel fought their way back out of the crowd, Izshlana
saw Tyran and grinned.
“Hi.” She managed to mutter out.
Tyran grinned, “morning, you’re one of mine this
year.”
She nodded and watched him walk into the breakfast
canteen. “Well shout if you need anything then.” He
winked as he disappeared.
“You’ve got Tyran?” Karel muttered oozing jealousy,
“What’s he good at?”
“Everything,” Izzy breathed much to her friends
amusement.
“Come on then. Let’s go get the class list.”
At each seat the fifty odd first years had a PADD that
told them which classes they would be taking and when.
Izzy and Karel grabbed theirs up while biting into
some bread. “What do you have first?” Karel asked
while she munched on breakfast.
“Hand to hand.” Izzy gasped, “With Tevant Tallack.”
“You get Tevant Tallack and Tyran Tallack?” Karel’s
eyes where wide as she looked at her friend. “They
must think you’ve got something.”
Izzy nodded as her eyes scanned the PADD of her next
week’s lessons. “I’ve got marksman ship, shuttle and
tactics.”
“That’s pretty rounded.” Karel answered, “I’ve got
tactics, skills, leadership and strategy.” Karel
scowled, “great, I’m stuck in a classroom while you’re
outside learning to fight.”
Izzy grinned, “This does mean I’m destined to be a
foot soldier while you’re meant to become a leader.”
“Swap you.” Karel answered with an enthusiasm and
smile that mirrored Izshlana’s own.
“No way am I swapping you Tyran Tallack for Saram
Amalda,” Izzy answered,
“And you call yourself a friend.” Karel grumbled.
The bell for first class went soon enough and Izzy and
Karel separated in the corridor. Izshlana headed out
into a courtyard. Tevant Tallack stood in the centre
of the courtyard as his first years trooped towards
him. He watched them with a small smile, every year
started the same and he nodded as each one arrived.
He was today coloured in green having chosen to be
seen in his clans colours, as a mark of respect for
their main teacher the first years each slid into a
paler green colour for skin, hair and eyes.
“You’re in luck.” He began once he saw they were all
ready, “having just eaten we’ll run through some
relaxing exercises before we get down to business.
That night Izshlana crawled into the bedroom after
eating Karel’s laughter followed her as she collapsed
onto the soft bed. “I have muscles aching that I
didn’t even know I had before.”
“Still pleased to be a Jendi?” Karel chuckled
=[/]=
Chapter 5
The month passed in a flurry of lessons and exercises,
more often than not Izshlana was bruised and beaten at
the end of every night and tended to just collapse
into bed. As such she saw almost no one than the other
kids in her class and Karel. The other girl found her
head was buried in books most of the time as she
learnt about old battles and wars.
Another day finished, Izshlana stumbled into her bed
while Karel studied by the lights from outside. After
a moment the darker toned girl stood up and came to
Izzy’s bed. “You OK?” she asked quietly.
Izzy rolled onto her side with much groaning as
muscles and bruises protested at being forced to move.
Eventually when she could see her room mate she
nodded. Karel smiled and sat on the side of the bed,
she chewed her bottom lip and stared at the stars
twinkling through the bedroom window.
Sensing something was wrong Izshlana sat up and looked
at her friend. “What is it?” she asked, she
impulsively hugged the other girl who after a brief
second of surprise grinned.
“It’s not me Izzy,” turning at last so the two girls
were facing each other on the big bed Karel began,
“did you know that there are five types of telepathic
Alterians? And that around 40% of all Alterians are
telepaths.”
Izzy nodded, “at 16 an Alterian telepath will cocoon
him or herself for three days, the school has a room
especially prepared with cushions and blankets and a
nurse to monitor the cocoons.” Izshlana remained quiet
while Karel carried on talking. “After those three
days the cocoon opens and out steps a shiny new
telepath, then they have two years of school to learn
how to use this fully functioning telepathy.”
Karel took a deep breath. “The five types of telepaths
are, healers, telekinetics, telepaths, psionics and
dreamers. You know what each one does right?” she
asked after a second.
Izzy nodded. “My grandmother is a healer, one of the
best.” She paused and thought to herself. “I think she
healed me once, it took days she said that I was on
the brink. Once I was better she slept for a week
straight.”
Karel looked like she wanted to ask about this but
then carried on, “well we were told all this in class
today, as part of a discussion about knowing the
people who fight for you.”
“Right, a commander should know what all the people
beneath them are capable of.”
“Exactly,” Karel smiled proud of her cannon fodder
friend. “And it was an interesting lesson.” She paused
and scowled out into the sky and then crept closer to
her friend, “On the table at the front was a vase.”
She whispered.
Izzy simply stared at her friend wishing she would get
to the point, “It’s never been there before.” Karel
muttered.
“Probably someone just moved it in there today.”
“Maybe,” Karel muttered with a small nod of her head,
“but I got half way down the corridor and realized I’d
not handed in my essay so I went back, the vase was
gone.”
“So someone went in and moved it.” Izzy answered
“Maybe,” Karel repeated still not looking convinced,
“but you remember what the Vorta was saying on our
first day?”
The question hung in the air as a knock on the door
interrupted them. The two girls shrugged at one
another and then in time called out. “Come in.”
Tyran opened the door and popped his head around it.
“hey there, I saw the light was still on.”
Karel jumped off the bed as the two girls stood up in
a mark of respect for the older lad. “I was just
finished up an assignment.” He nodded to the girl and
stepped to the foot of Izzy’s bed as she sat back
down. “Well Larna? How are you holding up?”
Izshlana smiled slightly too aware that her skin hair
and eyes where glowing a faint red. “OK, I’m not sure
I’m keeping up, I have aches that have aches.”
Tyran grinned, “I was like that in the first few
months, it gets better as your body gets used to it.”
He promised, “And I’ve seen you, you’ve been keeping
up fine.”
Izzy blushed even deeper at that. “You’ve been
watching me?”
“Sure, it’s my job to make sure you’re doing OK.” He
answered easily, his hands rested on the rail at the
bottom of the bed.
Izshlana watched his hands and then tried to stifle a
yawn. Tyran chuckled, “alright, well I’ll leave you to
sleep, if you need anything you know where I am.”
Izzy nodded as he said goodnight to Karel and headed
out of their room closing the door behind him. She
dropped back onto the bed her eyes closing. “What
about the vase?” the sound of her friend snoring
greeted her and Karel smiled and shook her head.
=[/]=
Chapter 6
The next morning Izshlana was up long before Karel and
long before the breakfast bell rang. Karel looked at
the bed and shook her head at the lack of her room
mate, she staggered to the shower, and feeling
refreshed after the wash came back into the bedroom,
looking out the window she could just make out her
roommate, Izzy was stood in the centre of the
courtyard, her hands out in front of her she was
moving slowly through the Jendi-Xelix.
Squinting against the rising dawn Karel could just
make out the figure of Tyran Tallack stood in a
doorway also watching her friend. Karel chuckled and
shook her head then went back to getting ready.
Down in the courtyard Izshlana ran through the routine
to relax aching muscles and slowly wake herself up
from the deep sleep she’d ended up in, she was only
half aware that there were other eyes on her and she
chose to ignore them.
The breakfast bell interrupted her far too soon for
her own wellbeing but she jogged across the courtyard,
famished and ready for the large breakfast that would
be waiting for them.
She greeted Karel in the hall and the two settled down
to eat in a companionable silence. Izzy waved at Tyran
as he walked past them but couldn’t say hi as she had
a mouth full of red eggs.
As they left the hall Karel grabbed her friends arm,
“keep an eye out OK?”
“What, for moving vases?” Izzy teased as she headed
back to her initial class of the day.
In the courtyard she caught her foot on a box and
swore loudly. Tevant was once again waiting for them;
he said nothing as Izshlana joined her class mates
limping heavily; instead he threw a heavy double
handed sword to both her and one of the other girls.
“Melee weapons,” He called to the class, “a bit out
dated now with the onset of phasers and ships, however
more than just for traditions sake they have their own
use.” He looked around them, “when would a knife or
sword be more use than a phaser?”
Trying to hold the sword point off the floor and not
being too successful Izzy muttered between clenched
teeth. “Close quarters.”
“Surprise attacks.” Someone else called.
“Right,” Tevant agreed with a single nod of his head,
“you don’t want to be trying to aim and fire when you
and your enemy are in arms reach, also if you want to
surprise an enemy the sounds of phaser fire can give
you away.”
“The sound of me dropping a heavy sword might give me
away more.” Izzy muttered.
Tevant hid a smile, “well then fight.”
Izshlana managed to pull the sword up and deflect a
blow as the other girl charged her sword raised.
What followed was a very vicious very short battle, in
the end Izzy was standing although looking pale, the
other girl lay on the floor holding her head. “Good
job they’re blunt isn’t it.” Tevant declared in the
sudden silence, as most of the class tried to get rid
of the ringing sounds in their ears. “Now would you
like to see how it’s meant to be done?”
Tyran stepped from the shadows and took the sword from
Izshlana’s slack grip, Tevant picked the dropped sword
and the two faced off. What followed this time was a
flurry of slashing and parrying, hacking and
thrusting, Izzy watched along with the other first
years wide eyed and open mouthed. Just when it looked
like Tyran was on the back foot the slightly smaller
and slenderer man disarmed his father.
Tevant grinned at his son with pride and then turned
to the first years, panting a little under the sudden
exertion, “what you just saw then was a prime example
of how size doesn’t matter anywhere near as much as
speed and skill.”
He glanced at the first years, “I’ll run you through
some moves.” His son was already moving to the two
girls who’d fought one another.
“Come on, I’ll run you to the medical ward.” Tyran
offered.
Izzy shook her head, “I’ll go later, I want to see the
moves.”
He paused helping the concussed Alterian to her feet
and looked at the other girl. “Larny, your arm looks
broken.”
Izshlana glanced at the arm and nodded, “well then
I’ll just watch.”
He shook his head, “I’ll show you later, let’s get
that looked at first.” Grudgingly she turned and
holding her arm followed the much taller teen as he
helped her class mate walk in a straight line, she got
to where the box had been and scowled.
“Strange.” She muttered and then hurried to catch up
with Tyran.
The medical area was a large room, two nurses were
usually here and they dealt with everything from tummy
upsets to training accidents. One of the nurses was
known to be a healer and she was conspicuous in her
absence. Tyran helped the two girls onto a bed while
the nurse came fussing across she glowered at the
young man and shook her head, Tyran simply waited for
her to walk past and then pulled tongues at her back
leaving the girls giggling.
=[/]=
Chapter 7
Tyran was as good as his word and a few days later
when he was sure Izshlana’s arm was healed he found
her outside in the morning running through her
exercises, he held a sword out to her. “Want to
practice?”
She smiled and took the sword watching him move as he
showed her how to parry incoming thrusts and jabs. The
two worked quietly as Izshlana copied his movements
with the heavy sword. Her arms became tired quickly
and she stopped for a rest. Tyran stopped too and
leaned on his two handed sword.
“I’m not going to be around for a couple of days.” He
told her quietly and wiped sweat from his forehead.
“How come?” Izzy asked instantly.
Ty smiled and shrugged, “I’m just not, but when I’m
back we’ll run through this a bit more?” he suggested.
Izshlana grinned and nodded her head, “absolutely.”
Tyran laughed, “alright, well lets go get washed up
for breakfast.”
Izzy did as she was told and came down to break her
nightly fast fresh and clean with her roommate.
Looking around the canteen there was no sign of either
of the Tallacks and her face fell. Her class was
cancelled for the morning as Tevant Tallack was not
available and no cover had been found.
Izshlana grumbled to herself as she found herself for
the first time since starting school at a loose end,
she walked the corridors quietly so as not to disturb
classes and for the first time in months felt a deep
pang of homesickness. She came to a corridor above the
medical area and looked around, it seemed silent but
something felt horribly wrong, she stepped through a
door and saw a figure further down the corridor,
walking towards it she saw the figure pressing against
a door in front of it, it looked like no one she
recognized.
In fact moving forwards it didn’t even look Alterian
as fingers started to lengthen and creep through a
crack. Izzy gave a shout and charged forwards, hitting
the changeling before it became fully liquid and
slipped through the crack.
She was yelling and punching down at the ground as
hard as she could trying to keep the semi liquid
humanoid from disappearing, a door slammed open and a
moment later Izshlana found herself lifted into the
air, she saw Tevant Tallack grabbing at the humanoid
before it disappeared and then moments later she was
in a blanket and pillow filled room, the door shut
behind her.
After a moment of confusion Izzy relaxed and looked
around the room on closer inspection Izzy saw two
cocooned shapes lying on opposite sides of the room,
one was a dark green in colouring and the other was
pale blues, Izzy glanced at the pale blue one and
stepped towards it. The door opened behind her and
Izshlana jumped, Tevant smiled at her. “Don’t touch
him, you’ll disturb the cocoon.”
Izzy bit her lip and stepped back. “What will he be?”
she asked guessing that they where talking about
Tyran.
“I’m not sure, we have a history of psionics but it’s
not always hereditary.”
Izshlana nodded and watched as Tevant sat next to the
cocoon that contained his son and then nodded to the
other cocoon. “That’s Mylar’s we’re hoping she will be
a healer.”
“Do the colours mean anything?”
“Nothing really.” Tevant answered, “we’re not really
sure, there are guesses that it might be a preference,
or the colour they chose before they slipped into the
cocoon, or the colour they will take on when they
leave the cocoon.” He shrugged, “we don’t really
know.”
Izshlana nodded, “what was that outside?”
“That was a changeling.” Tevant answered quietly, he
looked at Izzy, “why did you attack it?”
She pursed her lips and shrugged, “just a feeling,
that it was something bad, or doing something bad.”
“Well it’s a good job you made enough noise for me to
hear, it might have killed you otherwise.” He warned
her.
“Has it gone?” Izzy asked quietly.
“Maybe, Nurse Daler is alerting the teachers and then
I’ll take you back to your room.”
Izshlana nodded and then looked at her hands. “My hand
hurts.”
Tevant stood up and took the girls hand in his.
“Congratulations Izzy, I think you have your first
broken knuckle.” He grinned at her. “You know small
fists like yours hurt more than larger fists, when I
come back to the classes we’re going to work on your
hand to hand combat. You’re obviously fearless enough
to take on anything.”
Izshlana grinned at the compliment, when she was
escorted back to her room she whistled a quiet tune to
herself feeling happier than she had in weeks.
=[/]=
Chapter 8
The next morning in the great hall silence was called
over breakfast while the headmistress addressed the
children. “There has been a breach of school security,
we urge vigilance, however, if anyone sees anything
suspicious please call a teacher rather than
approaching things themselves.” She intoned.
When people began talking again Karel leaned across
the table, “and it was trying to get into the
cocooning room?” she hissed.
“I guess.” Izzy answered with a faint nod. “I didn’t
really get chance to ask questions.”
“You should get a medal,” Kar, one of their other
friends whispered, “you saved Tyran and Mylar; they
could have died if that thing had gotten in there.”
Izzy smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm and shook her
head. “Tevant was in there, guarding Ranny, he would
have protected them.”
“Ranny?” Karel asked with a little laugh.
“He calls me Larna.” Izshlana answered defensively and
then she grinned. Before she could say anything else
the headmistress was standing over her and asking Izzy
to come with her, with a great deal of trepidation the
eleven year old Alterian followed behind the much
taller woman as they went to her office.
The head mistress leaned against the desk in her
office and indicated for Izzy to sit down. “We owe you
a debt of gratitude.” She began with a smile. “Your
friend is right we do owe you some sort of medal.”
Izzy blushed at the praise from the headmistress who
sighed, “Unfortunately we’re walking a tight rope
here. The changeling escaped and obviously now has a
lot of knowledge of the school.” She watched Izzy’s
face fall and shook her head, “that’s not your fault
at all dear, what you did was incredibly brave, and
you saved two of your school mates lives.”
The headmistress suddenly caught her shoulder and
leaned forwards, “and I promise you, this school will
protect you from any repercussions that may happen
from that action.”
Izzy swallowed nervously. “Thank you.” She said
quietly confused by the sudden change in the tone of
the conversation and then gratefully left the room.
=[/]=
Chapter 9
The next few nights of sleep where restless and
interrupted by nightmares, the feel of punching semi
liquid people, humanoids with elongated fingers and
gaping mouths glared at her in her sleep; cocoons
where ripped apart and their inhabitants suffered long
and lingering deaths. The first night Karel woke her
up, eventually the young girl crawled into bed with
her friend and held her tight to make her feel safe.
The second night the two girls crawled into the same
bed exhausted from the day and the lack of sleep the
night before. Izzy managed to keep herself asleep and
chase her own dreams away. Just before dawn a noise
half woke the sleeping Alterian up, she crawled out of
bed carefully not to wake Karel she was half way
between the bed and the window when it all went black,
hands grabbed her and a hand clamped over her mouth
before she could scream, her hands where deftly tied
behind her back and then she was hoisted upwards into
the air. She struggled, kicking her legs and trying to
bite the hand that was closed over her mouth and
making it difficult for her to breath.
Mentally she screamed, hoping that someone telepathic
was awake to hear her. They’d been walking for a fair
distance although Izshlana could tell that they hadn’t
as of yet left the school grounds when a familiar
voice made her almost cheer.
“You appear to have one of my students on your
shoulder.” The headmistress spoke calmly. “I’m pretty
sure I made it clear what would happen if you came on
school grounds and tried to touch one of my students.”
“The Dominion is not afraid of a school teacher.” The
growl came from next to Izzy’s side and she began to
try and wiggle free.
“Then they should learn.” Was the answer; it went
quiet for a brief moment and then a shout that sounded
like Tevant Tallack came from behind them, something
whistled past Izzy’s head and she was dropped, for
someone else to pick her up roughly and charge off
with her, she screamed at the top of her voice until
finally she was put down, the hood was ripped off her
head and she was facing Tyran Tallack. “Shush, shush.”
He quieted her by forcing her to look at him and
placed a finger to her lips. “Quiet now.”
She nodded as they listened to the sounds of fighting
in the distance; Tyran grimaced and then took her
hand. “Come with me.” He whispered, she nodded her
head as he squeezed her hand and led her silently back
to the school building.
She clung to him all the way to her dorm room where he
put her into the bed, he covered her with the duvet
and then made sure the door was shut and locked, he
checked the window and then sat on the bottom of the
bed. One eye on the door as Izzy drifted off to sleep.
=[/]=
Chapter 10
The next morning Tyran had gone Izzy and Karel woke up
as if nothing happened, the pale Alterian showered and
dressed in silence, she decided against her morning
exercise to instead walk slowly to the canteen with
her friend.
As they reached the foot of one of the staircases Izzy
spotted her dad, she charged towards him and grabbed
him around the waist in a hug, he hoisted the eleven
year old into his arms and held her tightly as he kept
walking. “Morning baby.”
“Morning daddy,” She answered quietly. She put her
head on his shoulder, “so why are you here?”
“The council is meeting.” He answered her as quietly
and then lowered her to the floor. “You go and get
your breakfast and I’ll see you later.”
She nodded watching her dad head up a staircase before
she turned and caught back up with Karel. Before she
got into the hall though Tyran was suddenly in front
of her, he handed her a slice of baked bread and
indicated for her to follow him, they headed up a
staircase with only a backwards glance at Karel who
shrugged.
“What’s up?” she asked Tyran through mouthfuls of
food.
“You should see this.” He answered evasively and then
held his finger to his lips, they crept into a
corridor and through a semi opened door, they were on
a balcony and looking down Izzy and Tyran could see a
large table, sat around it a member of each of the
fifteen Alterian clans sat talking quietly.
Her father was representing the Vorts Tevant was
representing the Tallacks, Karel’s mother was there
and a few other parents or grandparents Izzy
recognized had visited the school before.
Rabarta Felod stood up; the headmistress looked around
her before she called the meeting to order. “A few
days ago we where infiltrated by a changeling, we
don’t know how long this person was on the campus, we
do know they knew where the cocooning room is.”
A soft gasp echoed through the room and around the
clan leaders.
“Fortunately, one of our students, a Vort in fact,”
Rabarta paused to glance at Damal who half smiled,
“foiled whatever plot was afoot, unfortunately, the
Dominion knows who this was and tried to capture her
last night. We stopped them taking her off the
grounds, but now the dominion is aware at least of a
portion of what we do here.” She finished.
“We knew they would eventually.” Damal declared.
“The sanctity of the academy has lasted far longer
than we expected.” A pale green Alterian Izzy didn’t
recognize declared. “But maybe now it’s time to shut
down and get on with life.”
Tevant snorted at the implications, “life under the
thumb of the dominion, it’s no life at all.”
Damal nodded his agreement, “we can train our children
at home but the academy provides a more structured
environment, it can look after all or children and
train the skills they show promise in.”
The few clan representatives that where teachers
nodded. “The academy is the best place for teaching
our children, for generations, long before the
Dominion came the academy was the one place where all
15 clans worked together, the one thing we all agreed
on. Now more than ever we need that unity.”
“What; when half of the clans declared Valdurat seven
years ago and haven’t revoked it?” Someone else stood
up to argue.
“It was the right thing to do.” Damal declared, “the
Vort clan still stand by that decision.”
“As do the Tallacks.” Tevant agreed, and a few others
around the room nodded.
Izzy glanced at Tyran who gave her a sad little smile.
“Fine, then the academy remains open, those of you who
want to take your children home do so now. The academy
has joined the Valdurat.” Rabarta declared after a few
moments of silence.
Tyran caught Izzy’s hand and led her back out of the
space they’d been hiding in; they stayed quiet for a
few moments. “That’s not good is it?” She asked
quietly.
Tyran shrugged, “She’s just making the academy’s stand
official, we always knew that she supported the
Valdurat, now we just watch who leaves over the next
few days.”
Izzy sighed and nodded, “I guess.”
“Don’t worry.” Tyran smiled a little. “This is the
safest place on the planet.”
=[/]=
Chapter 11
The next few months a lot changed at the academy, they
had done the equivalent of declaring war on the
Dominion regime that covered the surface of ATLIV.
Various members of the clans usually their leaders or
warriors would cycle in and out of the academy, some
of the teachers would leave and come back a few weeks
later.
A summer holiday and a birthday went by and still Izzy
had hardly been touched by the changes, she heard of
more and more skirmishes. On occasions she would hear
her father and her grandfather chatting about things
on other islands; and how they had no chance to win
without the Salmanics.
She was back at school, twelve years old and in the
second year, sat in a stuffy classroom and staring out
at the window as the rain lashed down in the
courtyard; a group of first years where outside
running through their early drills.
Izzy sighed and returned to her books, it did actually
feel more like a prison camp this year, including some
of the teachers patrolling walls and corridors. The
door to the classroom opened and Rabarta stood in the
doorway, “Izshlana Vort?” she called.
The kids all looked over their shoulders as Izzy stood
up and gathered her things, she followed the
headmistress who said nothing until they arrived in
the lobby, Tyran was there already.
“Ty will take you to a shuttle. You’re going home for
a few days.” Rabarta nodded as Izzy’s mentor took a
step forwards and ushered the younger girl from the
school.
“What’s happened?” she asked him quietly. He looked at
her sadly and shook his head.
“I can’t say.” He answered seriously, his tone stopped
her asking more questions and she allowed him to usher
her along next to him, they journeyed to the Vort
Saltha almost in complete silence Tyran tried to break
the silence from time to time but the efforts where
half hearted and he couldn’t shake the feeling of
doom, as they landed she was greeted by her mum.
Izla was crying as she hugged her daughter tightly to
her, after a moment Tyran was ushered into a kitchen
to be fed, between sobs, Izla explained that her
father in law was asking for Izzy, that he’d been
hurt.
Izshlana entered the master bedroom of the Vort family
home, her grandfather lay in his large bed, his wife
sat next to him holding his hand. Talyer managed a
small sad smile for her granddaughter who took her
granddads other hand.
“Gramps?” she asked quietly. The older Alterian opened
his eyes, and smiled weakly, the colour was already
draining from his pupils, Talyer closed her own eyes
and Izzy pursed her lips realizing what was happening.
Dalran licked his drying lips. “Iz, I’m dying.” He
croaked out through a dry throat, moving on instinct
Izzy picked up a glass of water and helped her
grandfather drink. He smiled at her and then pointed
to a wall. “Bring those to me,”
Izzy hopped from the bed and moved to the wall;
carefully she took down two cylinders and a bracelet
and walked back to the bed. Her grandfather took her
hand in his; she felt the power as suddenly the
devices in her hand thrummed with life.
Dalran smiled at her sadly. “You’ll do just fine
girl.” His eyes closed. As they did Talyer’s own
flashed open, the older woman let out a scream of
pain, in shock Izzy dropped the cylinders and the
bracelet. The door slammed open and before she knew
what was going on she was sat in the kitchen with
Tyran holding her hand and encouraging her to drink.
“You knew,” she said eventually, “you knew he was
dying and you didn’t say.”
Tyran nodded, “what good would it have done?” he asked
quietly. “I wouldn’t have been able to get you here
any faster.”
“Do you know what happened?”
“He led an attack on the representative’s home, it was
unsuccessful.”
Izzy pursed her lips at that. “Was anyone else hurt?”
“A couple, your grandfather was the worst.” He told
her softly, “and the only casualty.”
They where interrupted when Damal stepped into the
kitchen. Izzy stood up and her dad gave her a big hug,
they didn’t say anything for a moment until Damal
stepped back and handed her the two cylinders and the
bracelet. “These are yours now.” He said quietly.
Izzy felt the energy that ran through the devices.
Tyran stood up and showed her how to attach the
cylinders to her trousers so she could wear the
weapons. “I’ll show you how to use them back at
school?” he offered.
She nodded to him in silence.
The next day was a quiet affair. They had each donned
the traditional mourning garb; Izzy’s clothes had been
prepared the night before as this was her first
funeral. She stood in between her parents her mother
was stood next to her grandmother. The Vort family
stood around a pyre on top of which lay the body of
her grandfather.
Izshlana tugged at the red fabric, as the wind picked
up and swirled the skirts around her legs. One of
their cousins began to sing a soft tune and slowly it
was picked up by the rest of the family.
After a moment Damal stepped forwards and lit the
pyre, they stood and watched the flames; Izzy reached
her hand up her mother took it and squeezed it
tightly.
=[/]=
Chapter 12
The trip back to the academy was conducted even more
quietly than the trip there. Izshlana barely responded
to Tyran’s attempts at conversation. When they where
about half way back he stood up and came to kneel in
front of her.
He brushed a tear from her cheek and she blushed
furiously at the sudden contact. “Izshlana Vort.” He
said quietly, “do you know what Vort means?”
Izzy considered this and then shrugged. “It’s my
family name.” she answered wondering if he was about
to give her the speech that she was dishonouring the
name by crying over her grandfather.
Instead Tyran nodded and sat in the seat next to her
“Vort, comes from the Old Alterian Vorshtian, which
was the name for the first true warriors.” He
explained, “A clan of especially formidable warriors
where named the Vort, now, your family are the
descendants of those clan men. But your folks, and
your dad’s folks, they’ve always taken that seriously,
it’s a tradition and to them a responsibility. They
believed that starting the Valdurat was the right
thing to do and that it would eventually save lives,”
he sighed, “sometimes when you make a decision like
that you have to accept casualties.”
“Your dad joined us though.” Izzy pointed out.
Tyran smiled and bowed his head slightly. “He did,
because we agree that the Dominion regime is
oppressive and destructive, we have a right to rule
ourselves and we want that back.”
Izshlana nodded at that, she was deep in thought as
the shuttle craft settled down nearby to the academy.
A few weeks passed of lessons, classes were taking
place less and less outside, the rain had never
stopped them in the first year but Tevant was using it
as an excuse now to pull the classes into the enclosed
gymnasium.
Izzy’s body was starting to get used to the trying
regime, spending less time collapsing and more time
using various techniques to relax muscles and give her
time to do other stuff.
One night she was lying on her bed, Karel and herself
where chatting about news of another attack on the
Dominion. One of the clans had declared their support
to the Dominion, the Filma clan was now under their
power, “survival” they called it but for the first
time in generations Alterian had fought Alterian.
There was a soft knock at the door, the two girls
looked at one another. “Come in.” Izzy called although
they were both already standing up, preparing for
anything that came through the door.
Tyran popped his head around the door, he smiled at
the sight. He had a cylinder attached to each hip and
a platinum bracelet around his bicep. “Get your
things.” He told Izzy.
The younger Alterian nodded and swept the two
cylinders and bracelet from her table, she attached
them to her clothing like Tyran had told her to and
then followed him with a single silent look back at
Karel. They walked quietly through the silent
corridors until they arrived at the gymnasium.
“Sorry this took so long.” He said quietly.
Izzy smiled at him, “That’s ok; things have been a bit
odd since we got back.”
Tyran nodded and stood in the centre of the gymnasium,
he pursed his lips and then nodded, “OK, take off the
bracelet and the left cylinder.”
Izzy did as she was told placing the two latinum
devices on the floor and then stepping in front of the
older boy. “The cylinder you still have is the bow.”
So saying he unhooked the cylinder on his right in one
flowing movement and concentrated, the bow expanded
until it was a short bow shape. He turned and
concentrated a low hum echoed around the room and then
a target on the other side of the room exploded.
“Wow.” Izzy muttered.
Tyran grinned at her, “I cheated a little.”
“You’re a psionic?” she asked quietly.
“Yep.” He nodded “but we can get you using this well
enough.” The bow returned to it’s small cylindrical
shape and he attached it back to his side.
Izshlana unclipped the cylinder, she could feel the
energy in it and sighed, “now what?”
Tyran grinned even more, “you feel it?” when she
nodded he carried on, “you need to focus on it, become
the energy that’s running through the cylinder,”
Izzy’s eyes closed and as she collapsed Tyran stepped
forwards and caught her in one arm, the cylinder in
the other as she dropped it, it had began to open and
shrank back down when it left Izzys hand. Izzy opened
her eyes to look up at Tyran. “Thanks.”
He smiled a little, “can you stand.” She took her own
weight onto her feet and smiled at him.
“Apparently so,” she muttered dryly
He handed the cylinder back. “Try again.”
Hours later Izzy closed her bedroom door behind her
and breathed out Karel looked up and grinned, “what
was all that about?”
“Tyran’s teaching me to use these.” As she spoke she
deposited the three devices back onto the bedside
table and lay down, “he didn’t let me fall once.” She
muttered as she fell asleep.
=[/]=
Chapter 13
The next few months ran together in a mess of classes
spending time with Karel and learning how to use the
psionic bow. The lessons with Tyran quickly became
something Izzy looked forward to as the older boy was
patient with what Izshlana saw as slow progress.
The Vigartilan came around, the two day celebration of
the rebirth of the sun was a grand occasion for the
academy, classes where closed and the teachers spent
the morning building a bon fire on one of the silvery
beaches nearby.
The first day was a day to remember the dead, the
beach was sombre as Rabarta lit the bon fire, the
children sat around talking in hushed tones watching
the flames, the older children where charged with
keeping the fire burning and the younger children
awake.
Izshlana stared at the bon fire, remembering the last
ime she had seen the flames and thought about her
grandfather, around her other children who’d lost
people whispered amongst themselves or cried silently.
During the day the school chefs came out and began
preparing food on smaller fires around the groups,
after a while people started to talk cheerfully, the
sun began to go down and other fires where lit, groups
of children stood around fires with their friends.
Izzy and Karel found themselves at the Tallack fire,
where Tevant was telling tall stories in a loud
booming voice, Tyran grinned at them and a few other
Tallack children who were attending the academy
nodded, teachers moved around the fires while the
whole academy stood on the beach and waited out the
longest night of the year.
With dawn approaching the beach became more of a party
atmosphere; laughing and joking could be heard across
the beach, it grew louder until the day blossomed into
one of celebration, elsewhere on the planet around
other bonfires people where going through the marriage
ceremony. Rabarta stood up and began to speak,
although no one here was marrying the speech was an
integral part of the celebrations, she intoned it in a
loud clear voice and then declared. “Let’s eat.” The
statement was greeted with a cheer as more substantial
food was brought out and games began to be played
along the length of the beach.
Rabarta breathed a sigh of relief as the children
finally traipsed back into the relative safety of the
academy. “Another year over with.” Tevant boomed to
the headmistress.
Rabarta smiled sadly. “I just wish we had a safer way
to celebrate.” She answered as the two teachers
followed the horde of screaming children back into the
academy buildings.
=[/]=
Chapter 14
Slowly as things seemed to get worse on the outside
world more and more children began to leave the
academy, by Izshlana’s third year there where only the
children of seven of the fifteen clans at the academy,
a thirteen year old Izzy watched as the newest and
youngest trainee teacher at the academy ran the first
years through some training exercises.
As the bell went the sixteen year old Tyran approached
Izzy with a smile; she grinned right back and gave him
a quick hug, “How are you?” she enthused
He smiled a little at that. “The same as I was last
week.” He pointed out.
“Yes, but then you where visiting my family, now it’s
your first day of teaching.”
His smile grew as he nodded, “I’m fine, a bit worried
about my father and the fact that they seem to be
grooming me to take over from him.”
“but you’re good at it.” Izzy declared with a shrug,
“I can do almost an hour with the bow without passing
out now.” She declared.
Tyran laughed and nodded, “you can, now wait until we
try the swords.” He looked apologetic, “I’ve got
another class in a few minutes.”
“See you later then.” Izzy answered as he headed off,
Izshlana didn’t take long to find Karel who gave her
friend a hug, “did you see? The Jem’hadar on Grilma
Saltha actually retreated.” Her friend yelled, the two
bounced around for a few minutes gaining disapproving
glares from those around them.
Giggling they ran into the building and up to the room
that had been theirs for two years. They collapsed
onto their beds as Izzy carried on talking, “Dad says
it’s a small victory and we shouldn’t get over
excited.”
Karel nodded and lay down resting her head on her
pillow. “Mine says that it’s the first victory we’ve
had since they took control and we should be thankful
for anything we get.”
Izzy grinned at that, “did he then use it as an excuse
to party?” she asked.
Karel grinned; it was a running joke that her father
would use the sun rising as an excuse for a party if
he felt like it. “Oh, but Iz, I can’t wait until we
get to join them, until we can help chase these damn
Jem’hadar from the planet.”
Izshlana smiled at that and nodded, “I agree.”
Even in the academy it became clear that the war was
raging thick and fast around them, they where
protected by high walls and the strongest warriors the
clans could spare, but still in many cases the
teachers taught with a new found ferocity as they
determined to train the people to take their place.
=[/]=
Chapter 15
It was towards the end of this year that the safety of
the academy was tested. Izshlana woke up one morning
to hear shouting in the academy, her eyes flashed open
and she grabbed the only weapon she had.
Karel was already up and the two girls ran to the door
together, they ran through the corridor and down into
the courtyard, stumbling to the entrance they found
teachers and students alike not far was a battalion of
Jem’hadar, above them they could see small shuttle
fighters already flying towards them.
In the milling crowds Izzy saw Tyran and holding onto
Karel’s hand dragged her to find the older lad. He
nodded to her and the three of them mounted steps
along the outside of the academy.
When the first fighter came into range he closed his
eyes, the heat from the explosion made Izzys eyebrows
singe. Still she held onto Tyran and Karel dragging
them higher and to the protection of the roof of the
building. She pulled the bow from her side but
refrained from activating it while she watched.
“Two, 45 degrees right.” Karel called, the three all
swivelled and Tyran one hand on his bow one on Izzys
shoulder blinked, one craft exploded, the second the
arrow from Izzys bow connected with a wing and span
the craft in a different direction.
Across the roofs a few groups with the same set up
where forming, a psyonic, or an Alterian with a
Psionic bow stood with a sighter.
On the ground the melee Alterians where fighting hand
to hand with Jem’Hadar soldiers.
“1, 20 degrees left.” They span Tyran damaged the ship
badly and it began to spin out of control but he
winced.
“Use the bow.” Izzy yelled over the sounds of
screaming and fighting. Karel yelled out. “Two, 30
degrees left.”
They span again and this time Izshlana’s bow shot
didn’t miss, the psionic arrow exploded on impact
taking another fighter with it. Izzy groaned and
dropped to her knees. Tyran destroyed the other with
his bow.
“3, 40 right.” Karel yelled, groaning Izshlana looked
up and fired off one last arrow, the world went black
for her. Without thinking Tyran wrapped the girls in
his arms and closed his eyes, the blast nearly
destroyed the west wing of the building.
=[/]=
Chapter 16
Izshlana Vort woke up to a grey world, her mother was
standing over her, and her mouth moved but Izshlana
heard nothing. A moment later her grandmother appeared
the old woman looked tired, but upon seeing her
granddaughter awake gave her a smile that brightened
her face. Talyer leaned down and kissed the young girl
on her forehead letting a warming sensation spread
through her body. Izzy managed half a smile before she
slipped unconscious again.
This time when she opened her eyes the world was a
little brighter, she felt a familiar touch on her
forehead and looked up into purple sparkling eyes of
her father. He smiled at her. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore.” She answered back and then decided to analyse
that further, “a little tired.”
He patted her hand and looked sad, “You’ve been asleep
for three months,”
“well, mother always said that too much sleep was as
bad as too little.” She answered after a moment of
silence, gaining her a smile from her dad, “what’s
wrong?” she asked after a moment, “I mean I know I’ve
lost a few months…” her last moments of consciousness
played itself through her mind and she sat up.
“Tyran..” moving to comfort her her father sat on the
edge of the bed.
“He’s OK. He collapsed the ceiling you were on and
tried to protect you and Karel as you fell.” He said
softly.
“So then Karel?” Izshlana stared at her father as the
older man licked his lips; he placed a hand on his
daughters arm and shook his head. “I’m sorry Iz…she
was dead before any one could clear through to you.
There was nothing anyone could do.”
Izshlana stared at her father in disbelief, “but… she
was… we where.” She closed her eyes and rested her
head back against her pillows as her stomach
contracted against a sudden feeling of falling.
“Izzy?” Her dad questioned softly as the silence
carried on for longer than he had prepared himself
for.
“I’m OK.” She answered her voice only cracking a
little bit. Her father looked at her and then brushed
away a tear from her cheek, he leaned down and kissed
his daughters forehead.
“I won’t be far if you need me.” He told her quietly.
She nodded and waited for him to leave the room before
she buried her face in her pillow and began to cry.
=[/]=
17
Izshlana soon found out why she’d spent three months
in bed, her grandmother came to see her the next
morning looking tired, she leaned down and kissed the
teenage girl. “welcome back.” The older woman
whispered quietly.
Izzy nodded at that, “I don’t feel back.” She answered
honestly trying to put words to the hollow feeling in
her stomach.
“I know.” Her grandmother answered quietly with a pat
of the young Alterians hand. They sat in silence each
wrapped up in their own thoughts,
“What about everyone else?” Izzy asked quietly.
Her grandmother nodded, “there where a lot of
casualties, and a lot of deaths.” She looked down at
her hands folded into her knee, “the academy has gone,
underground.” She explained, softly.
Izshlana nodded at this, and then slipped once more
back into a deep sleep.
The young Alterians recovery was slow, she’d turned
fourteen and still hadn’t returned to the academy, her
cousins, and her father taught her as teachers sent
work back for her making sure she didn’t fall too far
behind.
Tyran was now solely a teacher having graduated at 17,
the youngest faculty member would slip letters in with
the work she needed to do for his class; Meaning that
she actually looked forward to seeing the small glider
that would drop her homework off.
Gradually as she recovered some of her strength she
began running around, and playing with her cousins, it
soon began that she managed to get back into her daily
routine of exercises and working out.
News came that a teacher would be coming to assess her
and decide if she should be taken back into the forth
year of the academy. Izshlana was stood on the beach
staring out across the sea, it was a grey day with
rain hammering down around her, and the glider
appeared through the dim visibility and slowly
settled.
After a moment the pale Alterian took a deep breath
and headed across the silvery sand towards the
settling ship. It took her a moment when the doors
opened and the teacher had dropped out of the glider
to realise who he was.
Suddenly she grinned and flew down the beach into her
friends arms. “Ranny.”
“Larna.” He greeted with a grin and then leaned back
to look at her, “well look at you, almost all grown
up.”
She scowled at that and cuffed him playfully across
his arm, “less of the cheek, it’s not befitting a
teacher.”
He shrugged, “well I’m still not qualified, still I’m
here to see if you’ve managed to keep up with your
studies.”
Izshlana nodded at that, “Ok, what’s first?” she
asked.
“Eager?” Tyran asked as the two walked up the beach
together to the house.
“I miss the academy.” She admitted quietly.
“It’s changed.” Tyran said sadly, he looked down at
the small young woman next to him, “we’re still
rebuilding, a lot of… well there was a lot of loss.”
Izzy nodded and lowered her own eyes to the floor.
“and I’m here being well looked after by my family.”
She looked up and shook her head, “I want to be there,
helping you all.”
“well pass these and you will be.” He said quietly.
=[/\]=
Chapter 18
The academy really had gone underground, it wasn’t a
metaphor it was literally now an underground facility
on one of the larger empty islands.
It had been decided that Izzy should restart the
academy at the beginning of the fifth year, and so she
had arrived early with Tyran and was currently walking
down the new corridors of the underground facility,
the academy was built inside a latinum mine that they
had been destroyed years ago.
“So do I have a new roommate?” she asked as Tyran
showed her to the room that she was going to be using.
Tyran shook his head, “no, it’s all yours.” He
answered as they came to a door, opening it the
sterile white walls continued, as did the
characterless furnishings, the facilities where top of
the range but it had nothing of the character of the
large mansion they had destroyed and left behind.
She felt relief at not having to share her room with
anyone right up until when the door closed behind
Tyran leaving her in the room alone. She closed her
eyes and sat down on the bed and picked up the cushion
to wrap her arms around. She sat in the white,
windowless and empty room for a whole five minutes
until she couldn’t stand it anymore.
Tyran found her later on stood in a large empty room
that served as a gymnasium, she had the bracelet and
both cylinders attached to her hips. She held the
sword and was calmly using the lightweight hilt
activated with the almost invisible pale blue blade to
run through some of the more useful exercises.
“Want to spar?” Ty asked as he stepped forwards,
Izshlana looked up and nodded, the fifteen year old
Alterian was as tall as she was ever going to get and
at the height of her strength after a year of working
in the Vort house and training every day as much and
often as she could.
“I’ll go easy on you.” She promised him with a grin as
he activated his own hilt.
Tyran nodded at that as the two began circling each
other. “So, do you fancy going out sometime?” the
older lad asked after they’d clashed swords with one
another a few times.
Izzy froze and dropped her sword on the floor with a
clatter, officially allowing Tyran to win the duel.
“Seriously?” she asked,
Tyran smiled and leaned down to pick the sword up,
when he stood up he was closer and he smiled
“seriously.” He answered he gave her a quick kiss and
then nervously held his breath.
“Our folks will go nuts.” She told him when he stepped
back.
Tyran shook his head, “I doubt it.” He told her
calmly,
“Why?” she asked quietly.
“Well I asked for your dad’s permission, with the age
difference and everything.” He answered her calmly
still holding her sword.
She stared at him, “You asked dad if you could ask me
out on a date?”
“Yes, I didn’t want your family thinking I was taking
advantage of you.” He said, “are you alright?”
Izshlana shook her head and then changed it to a quick
nod. “Yes,” she muttered, “so where’s this date that
all my family know about going to take place?”
“I hadn’t got that far.” He admitted with a grin. “but
I’ll think of something.”
Izzy nodded, “alright.”
“Cool, I’ve got a first year class.”
“Knock ‘em dead.” Izzy told him as he handed the sword
back to her and left the gym. She wandered back
through the empty corridors looking out for people she
recognized she only found the odd one she could great
by name and felt that pang of loneliness again.
As a fifth year they had a year room and she found it
through trial and error and asking a teacher she
recognized for directions.
She entered to find people from her classes who
greeted her happily, she got a few hugs and well
wishes and then sat with a group of people who had
been in her stream of the academy that she knew.
Izshlana allowed the flutter of conversation to
overtake her and sat calmly in the year room amongst
her peers.
The week came and went, Friday arrived and after an
exhausting week Izzy collapsed into her bed happy to
sleep the weekend away. Her door buzzed and Izshlana
groaned. “Yeah?”
Tyran glanced through the door and grinned, “hey, grab
your swimming costume and a change of clothes.”
Izzy clambered out of the bed and did as she was told
while Tyran waited patiently a bag slung over one
shoulder. She grabbed her own bag and threw some
clothes and a swimming costume and towel into a bag
which she picked up and slung over her shoulder.
“Ready?”
She nodded and he took her hand and led her from the
room, down the corridor. She kept up as they dove into
a side passage and soon came to a door which Tyran
typed his codes into the doors opened to reveal a room
full of small ships.
“Woah.” Izzy muttered as she looked around.
Tyran grinned and made sure the door was locked behind
them before he started pointing out different ships.
“long range, your dad has two of those, puddle
jumpers,” he pointed to a smaller ship and then
finally to the third type of ship. “and this is what
we’re taking.”
He stopped in front of a ship around the size of a
shuttle craft, it was silver in colour and more of an
oval shape for aerodynamics. “a calest.” He declared
proudly. “Come on, hop in.”
He hit a control panel and steps appeared which Izzy
skipped up. “we can just take this out?”
“Sure.” He said and grinned, “I’m a teacher.” He joked
and flopped into the pilot seat “You ever flown
before?”
“Dads shown me some of the controls on the long range
ships we have.” She answered, “but I’ve never flown.”
Tyran grinned and pointed to the co-pilots seat. “Well
lets show you how one of these work.” He said.
After a quick lesson and a pre flight check the middle
distance craft was cleared for launch two doors opened
and Tyran deftly steered the small ship out into the
sky.
Izzy watched as the ground fell away from them, her
stomach flipped in her tummy and she made a little
yelping noise.
“You OK?”
She looked at him and took a deep breath. “heights.”
Tyran grinned at that and then shamelessly took the
craft through a loop de loop and span it a few times,
only stopping when Izzy went incredibly pale and
looked about ready to be sick, “want to take over?” he
asked
She considered this and then nodded as he swapped the
controls from his console to the other, he stood up
and leaned around her to show her where they were
going and how to steer the ship to aim there.
He then disappeared into the back of the small people
carrier, the short range ships where built for planet
trips and as such where equipped to hold people over
night, when he reappeared he’d already made two of the
bunks and had prepared lunch, he handed Izzy a couple
of pies and sat down at the controls checking the
navigational system. “Go you.”
“I was proud.” She admitted with a little smile. “So
where are we going I don’t recognise the flight path
or the island.”
“You’ll see.” He answered with a little smile. “It’s a
surprise.”
Izshlana smiled at him and then tucked into the pie,
while the autopilot took control of travelling them in
a straight line.
They landed on a small island, which from the cockpit
of the short distance runner looked to be mainly made
of sand; the silver glittered in the evening light.
They landed smoothly and Izzy hopped from the
co-pilots seat and slowly left the shuttle. Her eyes
took in the small island, the purple sea fully
enclosed them, she blinked and dropped from the
shuttle onto the glittering beach. “This place is
beautiful, where are we?”
“To the north of Tallack.” He answered with a small
smile. “My mum used to bring me here for picnics from
time to time.”
Izzy nodded at that, “OK,”
“So do you want to go swimming?” Tyran asked
Izshlana grinned and disappeared back into the shuttle
to get changed, when she came back in a pale purple
swimming costume it had gotten darker but a fire was
crackling on the beach, she waded in to the water and
then spotted Tyran swimming strongly not far away.
She leapt and dove under the water, legs together like
a mermaid she swam under the waves popping up for air
directly behind Tyran she splashed water at him.
The older lad gave a shout of surprise and span
around, treading water he splashed Izzy back and then
proceeded to try and dunk her, the younger woman
grinned and before he could grab her dived under the
water.
Tyran followed with a dive under water and they spent
a few minutes tousling and trying to dunk one another
in the purple sea water. After a second they surfaced
splashing each other and laughing.
Tyran held up a hand. “hang on, hang on…” he paused as
though trying to catch his breath and waited as Izzy
backed up as he knew she’d have to, then he dove and
grabbed her legs dragging her under the water, they
resurfaced spluttering and she glared at the older
lad.
“You cheat.” She yelled, he laughed and in the fading
light swam back to the beach, a large bon fire could
be seen and they walked over to the light and heat
source Tyran fed some more branches onto the fire and
the two sat next to one another and watched the
flames.
They talked through the night, breaking cardinal
rules, they talked about where they might live, if
they wanted children, their favourite things, all of
the topics that would be taboo in the strict military
confines of the academy.
They ended the night and Tyran flew them back to the
academy in silence, they carried on seeing each other
in secret from the teachers although their families
knew it was still frowned upon to be conducting a
relationship in the school.
They spent the year, sneaking into each others rooms
to talk, or practicing in the gym together, Izshlana
regained all of her strength and stamina and by the
end of the year was back on form with the rest of her
year.
Tyran spent the academy break with the Vort family;
partly under the guise of fermenting plans of an
attack against the Dominion strong hold on the planet,
really he was conducting his Takahet a trial to prove
to his chosen mate’s family that he would be capable
of protecting and caring for their daughter he passed
with flying colours.
Izshlana’s father gave them permission to marry
happily once the young man had passed. Izzy was about
to turn sixteen, and it was already agreed they’d be
married on the next Vigartilan. A message came from
one of their allies, ships where seen in the system.
=[/\]=
19
Izshlana woke early one morning, she stood on the
steps to the Vort mansion staring at the sea that she
had loved for so long, she spotted the two familiar
figures walking towards her long before they came
into hearing range.
Her father looked tired as he came into sight, white
already starting to show in his hair, of cause he
could blink and change it but he’d decided that it
made him look distinguished, the lines on his face
were certainly not by choice.
“We can set the clan over their, at least it’ll pull
them away from the house, we’ll be able to keep the
women and children safe.” Her father was talking
pointing down the beach to where the Family Vort would
make their last stand.
The younger and taller man next to her father nodded
his head. “What about the Tallack Clan, will we stand
with you?”
“That’s your choice, isn’t it son?” Damal looked over
at the young man who he’d given permission to marry
his daughter only days ago.
“We’ll stand with you sir.” Tyran Tallack declared,
Damal nodded and then glanced at his daughter as she
leaned against the house. He stepped up the stairs and
caught his daughter’s shoulders.
“They’re coming.” He said softly. Izshlana nodded and
her father kissed her on the forehead, “you’re to
protect your mother and the children.”
“But father.” Izzy began,
“No but’s, this is your duty and you’ll perform it.”
Izshlana sighed and nodded, “whatever you say father.”
They waited until the door had closed behind Damal and
then Tyran ran up the few steps grabbed his fiancée
around the waist and swung her around. Izzy giggled
and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ve missed
you.” She spoke into his shoulder and her voice
sounded muffled.
“I was only here yesterday.” He laughed and then held
her at arms length, “You look beautiful.” He declared
as he touched her bright purple hair, a perfect match
to the sky.
“You’re worried, what is it Larny?”
Izshlana smiled at him, “I’m worried, I want to stand
by your side, it should be my right.”
He looked at her and shook his head, “It’s my right to
want you safe.” Tyran said quietly.
Izzie nodded and leaned up to kiss her fiancée, they
were both quiet for a moment Izzy wrapped in his arms.
“when this is done, we’ll get married, find that
abandoned beach with sea all around us, have a bundle
of children.” He promised her.
Izshlana laughed at that her eyes shining as she
looked up at him, “whatever happened to don’t dream
ofthe past, don’t hope for the future?”
“The man who wrote that was never in love.” Tyran
answered with a smile. “What could happen Izzy, you’ll
be safe.”
“You won’t.”
Tyran shook his head, “well then promise me something.
Promise me you won’t change, that you’ll always be
you, sweet and loving and feisty.”
Izshlana grinned at him. “I’m me, I can’t be anything
else.”
“Don’t ever try to be,” Tyran sighed and looked down
at her. “And don’t be lonely, I don’t want you to ever
be lonely.”
Izzie closed her eyes and rested her forehead on the
tall mans chest. “I won’t, I’ll make friends despite
them.”
Tyran laughed and pulled her close he held onto her
while the first rain of fire could be seen in the
atmosphere, the call to arms echoed around the small
island. “they’re coming. I love you.”
Izzy sighed, “Run away with me.” She asked him,
defiantly she looked up at him, “let’s run from here.”
“Larny, there’s nowhere to run.”
She nodded and stepped back she watched as he ran to
the beach with the other warriors of the family. By
right she should have been with them, she was a
soldier. She closed her eyes and wiped tears from her
cheek and then turned to the door, she could see the
women rushing around collecting their children.
With her hand on her bow she stepped up. “Come!” her
yell echoed around the hallway, “Move, now.” With a
confidence she didn’t feel she had the women and
children moving from the house into the forest. The
safe house was deep in the one tall mountain, hidden
behind the waterfall. She ushered people through an
open door.
“Come on mother.” She muttered as she had to half push
her mum through the door.
The older woman caught her daughters hand and then
swiftly kissed her on the cheek she stepped back
wordlessly allowing her only child to close the door
between them.
She turned and ran back to the beach hearing the
sounds of phaser battle and fire fights. She stumbled
from the forest to the beach her bow out and in her
hand she took a Jem’Hadar high in the neck killing him
instantly. She still ran, a few cousins around her as
they tried to gather themselves back together after
the initial bloody assault of the Jem’Hadar.
Izshlana saw Tyran, he was fending off a group, she
watched him go down across the beach, an arrow struck
one of his assailants, she was already running in his
direction when the Jem’Hadar began to pull back, she
kept running until a cousin tackled her forcing her to
the ground.
“Stay down.” He hissed in her ear.
“Ranny.” She muttered.
“Stay. Down.”
Once the shuttles containing the dominion forces had
left the few survivors began to stand up, a handful at
most, Izzy ran to Tyran, he was dead before she got to
him, the only pleasure in the sight being the pile of
corpses surrounding him.
She knelt next to his body, only moving when it began
to get dark, her father sat next to her, he held her
hand.
“We need to leave, it’s been decided, those of us who
have decided to leave will scatter and try and get
through the blockade,”
“I’m not going.” She said softly.
“We’ll cremate the dead and then leave.” Her father
answered her firmly. “You can prepare the body if you
wish.”
=[/\]=
20
Izshlana stared at the bulkhead, her father sat next
to her an almost equally glazed expression on his
face, from a family of nearly 200 only 40 had been
left, most of those children under the age of 14.
Of those forty most had braved leaving the planet,
choosing to risk finding a new home rather than living
under the threat of death from the dominion, they’d
scattered leaving their home.
Izla stared at her husband and daughter the only three
Alterians against the dominion known to be alive where
currently sat in a small long distance shuttle, aiming
towards rumours of a station where they could seek
sanctuary.
The female Alterian turned her back on her family,
checked the course and direction and closed her eyes,
in her mind she reached backwards to the pair sat so
quietly, when she turned around Izzy was resting on
her fathers shoulder the two of them fast asleep.
She checked the auto pilot again and then stepped
backwards covering her family with blankets she looked
at them both.
“I’m sorry.” She said softly stroking her child and
her husbands faces, “you both lost so much, and feel
so much pain and I’m just grateful that god saw fit to
give me my family.” She closed her eyes and then
kissed them both before stepping back into the
cockpit, she set her jaw in a determined fashion as
she looked out at space.
For most of her life her husband was the strong one,
her daughter at sixteen far surpassed her in physical
strength but now Izla made a silent promise, whatever
it took now she’d see them safe.
=[/\]=
Epilogue
Izshlana was nineteen years old, she sat in a waiting
room on the GATEWAY OUTPOST staring at a chronometer
on the wall, she’d spent three years doing tests,
learning federation standard, learning all the basics
that a child who’d grown up in the federation would
have known.
She’d undergone physical tests, tests of her mental
powers and written tests for this one moment.
The older woman in a lieutenant’s uniform looked up
and smiled encouragingly at her. “It’ll be fine.” She
promised the young woman as a door opened.
“Vort, Izshlana?”
She rose to her feet, stepping cautiously into the
room Commander Monroe smiled at the small teenager, in
fact his smile positively turned into a grin, “well
Izzy.” He said softly, “I have here your answer from
starfleet command.”
Izzy looked hungrily at the PADD, after only a few
months of being on GATEWAY she’d known what she’d
wanted and in his hands was her future.
The man in red teasingly took his time over looking at
the PADD then finally he nodded, “Welcome to the fleet
Cadet.”
Izshlana stared at him and then burst out laughing she
threw herself at the Commander hugging him with a grin
she did a dance around the room and then suddenly grew
serious. “Thank you commander.”
He laughed and handed her the PADD. “You’ll report to
the academy in two weeks cadet,” he waited for her to
leave the office and then yelled after her. “Enjoy
yourself.”
Joy Phillips
Ensign Izshlana Vort
aSec/Tac
USS STONEHENGE
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