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Chapter #10

Janella and Zeus had already gone over things together and Zeus had given his authorizations on some of the locked data before anyone else got there. The room was of decent size, much more like a nuclear bunker of old than an armored meeting place. There was luckily a shower in the bathroom, or else there would have been a horrid mess when Zeus had to pee, getting his poop into weird little human water pots was one thing, peeing in them...just didn't work. Sadly the first thing that the human Exarch heard in person from a Wolfin was the massive quadruped bitching about tiny human toilets and threatening to pee on the walls.

Jonah Levin stopped dead in his tracks as he heard the synthesized voice, Emil stopping behind him. His eyes blinked slowly as the absolutely massive form of Zeus moved out into the room and paused only to look at the two humans. “Greetings Human leader and human leader's spy, We do not have a word that translates for your...."

“Emil! You're the Ghost Paladin!" Came from across the room as Janella stood staring at the Exarch and Emil. “Talking Wolves....psychic cats...Implants that process languages and let me understand him bitching at his tail for getting in the way of things. War...people not being dead that we thought were dead.....Emil is the damned Ghost Paladin."

Emil bowed softly. “No no I'm..."

-For a human spy, you are a shitty liar- Rang in their heads. -Do not lie to her Emil, she is one of yours, but she is also now an Agent of ours...of which we've already lost 3. Honor our agreement Emil or I will not.- Rose was still at the hotel, her mind able to reach them.

“Get out of my head feline!" Put a pause in everyone's movements as it came snarling out of Zeus, and then he'd huff and look at them. “I have to remember to think quietly or my implants tend to translate them to your language." He'd move to the table and sit. “I am also unused to diplomatic meetings, the first human I met that I didn't kill was Aneksakomet....." His head shifted and he thumped the collar on the table. “Little human wolf....forgive me your names are hard to change to ours or the same with ours to yours. We have chosen nicknames or had them given to us." He turned and shifted, raising up an armored paw toward the Exarch. “I am Captain Zeus, leader of the...." He'd look back at Janella. “Janella, what is word?"

Janella was watching as the towering wolf shook the hand of the Exarch of the sphere using his paw and took a moment to answer. “Sorry..." She'd shake her head clear. “I think the closest terms we have is assault troopers or shock troopers. Heavily armored assault troops, the force was a mix of Wolfin and Elementals with more normal sized humans in covering roles or piloting ones. There are also powered suits that they're starting to give to the former Steel Wolves that have joined their ranks. The design is akin to a small mech."

“Little robots are also designed for support and long range fire. Two of my little humans have added...word?"

“A flame unit, power saws, drills, and I saw one with a set of claws." That got a soft whistle from Emil as he moved around to the table to sit. Exarch Levin doing the same as Zeus moved to her side of the table. “There is also my mech, the other mechs, and that monstrosity of a tank that they entrusted the Duke with."

“So long as that leader and his child truly seek to help their home world, then they can keep the machines with the entrusted duty of serving their people as we serve ours. Our rulers are born or chosen to rule. They're entrusted with keeping their people safe and providing for them how they need it. Those who abuse this power for themselves are dealt with depending on how bad the abuse. Usually death unless its something to be used to remind..." There were a few noises from the collar. “I hate this language, but collar will not translate to German and then yours."

Jonah smiled softly and nodded. “We usually do not go that far here, politics here is...." He trailed off at a snort from the wolf.

“Sir, they're very much like the clans. Only they've been at war with more than one race since before Alexander Kerensky left with the fleet. They do not have politicians, they unified and hold agreements to the letter. They do not use trickery, they are not subtle...especially a certain one here. They have a unified force for all of their people, but they also have fleets like the Admiral's that protect local territories from border disputes, pirates or..." Zeus nodded to her and she pulled a box from her pack and set it on the table.

“The eaters, they bring death, chaos, no talking, no deals, they come, they kill, you die or you kill them." The collar said as he looked at the other two males in the eyes, then his eyes shifted down to the box as it muttered something. The next moment he was making and odd mix of canine sounds that made a single beep sound from the box.

“One minute to enter command or recorder will explode." Came from the box and Janella leaned her head down. “It's too damn cold in here to think you giant fuzzy bastard, quit licking me!" She said angrily and then sighed as it beeped a second time and unlatched. She blushed as she looked at the Exarch and shook her head.

“I had to get her to say something..." Zeus's collar spoke.

Janella would spin the device around and opened it up, showing the stack of files and the projection system within. She'd set out the stack of files and reached in to press a button, the box popping open more and projecting screens up into the air. "Now...I actually had nightmares the first two nights I looked at this stuff."

It started with aged recordings of first contacts with the hive mind, the screens showed the twisted masses of the giant living ships, aged metals from absorbed ships and asteroids. Heavy biological armors opened up unleashing hellish acids, plasma, and spines at the planetary fleets. Small parts of the larger living ships fell away and into the atmosphere of the planet, smaller craft seemed to dip into the atmosphere and unleash massive clouds of spores that rained down over densely populated areas. More and more of the biological ships surged into the area, destroying or pushing back the defending fleet.

The Exarch and Ghost paladin both watched with dashes of horror on their faces as the screens showed the effects of the spores, infesting and usually killing those that breathed them in, others were mutated rapidly and painfully. Monstrous forms attacked in masses against the uninfected defenders as the now mutated hosts were drawn back and devoured alive. Another screen popped up and showed a canine head neither man knew. "Greetings Terran leaders, these recordings are just a small taste of what we have endured over far too many generations. Our allies have also had to face this horrid thing. It ignores all attempts to make peace, it just doesn't care. It sees us as it's food, biomass to enhance itself, and new genetic material to use to make itself better." The voice spoke fluently and was clearly female.

A screen shifted to show a map of a third of the galaxy with a small spec showing marked as Terran space, a much larger area showing as the Wolfin and Feline areas to one side and behind Terran space. A large section to the other side of Wolfin space was another marked in orange. "We are attempting to broker peace with them currently, it is a expansionist society largely populated by races reptilian and insect in base biology for Terran concerns. They have also been having very troubled times with the Hive mind."

A large area opened up toward the galactic core and showed in red. "This area is populated by the Hive Mind, long range probes have managed to map out large sections of where this thing has expanded over. Our allies have been able to probe deeper with live crew than ourselves, we cannot protect ourselves from it's psychic abilities." She looked down and then up again. "We are unsure if your species is able to handle this threat on your own, we have lost too many worlds to it. Hopefully the talks on Skye have gone well and I am showing you all this in person."

The recording cut off as Janella slammed the box shut, before grabbing Zeus's large head and jerking it to her chest to hug him and pet him. Whines came from him and both men would be able to watch as the massive wolf shed tears. "

Jonah Levin softened at the show of emotion from what looked like a monster to his human brain, exchanging a glance with Emil, who made a gesture of open palms that he wasn't touching the scene. Even as the canine wept and whined out his pain, both men knew part of the reason, the failed first contact. It would take a while before they watched the giant canine sink down and Janella become somewhat trapped in his forelegs and under his head that laid on her lap. Soft deep breathing with a hint of a snore made Jonah smile as Janella made no move to get free. "So they do have strong emotional bonds....that was actually one of our worries that might be different from..."

Janella shook her head. "He is a throwback, it happens rarely but happens with them. From what I found the Admiral's late wife supported and nearly raised Zeus. All of their names that they use are nicknames, most not even close to their true ones. But their names do not translate. Most of their language doesn't translate well with ours." Her voice showed worry as she pet the sleeping monster's head, a smile gracing her face. "I've seen more data than what is in that video, some of the fleet has fought them including the Admiral. The weapons they are forced to use are things far worse than our nukes. I've seen videos of a planet they cleansed over 100 years ago, it's still being teraformed to be livable."

Emil rubbed his chin and opened the box to press a few buttons and open a holographic menu. "Here we go...thank you...yes you can if it isn't toxic." He spoke aloud, getting a look from the Exarch. "I asked how to bypass the greeting videos and get to the data. We need the data the most."

"They don't seem to care about uniting us under one government." Jonah said as he looked through the files he had. "Though I doubt that would ever truly be plausible and people be happy in the long run. There has always been problems and fighting since the republic was formed." Jonah said and looked through the paperwork, stopping as Emil brought up a map of territories. "Now that is odd. Most of the current borders are much the same...but there is no Capellan area, it's all black space." His eyes moved to Janella. "And why are they projecting the most damage to come to the Draconis Combine?"

Janella sighed. "A Neutron star, a black hole, and a supernova, they've produced enough of a problem to arc the Hive mind fleets around much of Davion space. The Supernova was caused mainly due to the loss of a forward fleet, it's last act was to push a large iron asteroid into the star. The star went supernova and vaporized the Hive fleet they'd been fighting."

Jonah would sigh softly. “Their entire culture seems quite like the clans, though they seem to not want to conquer us, instead they wish to trade their tech in almost the eldest form of bartering. According to these files, since I didn't come myself to the first proper meeting...you are asked to keep your status with us, along with act as their agent."

Emil smiled softly to that and nodded. “I see no problem with that, Janella is human and loyal." He'd get a nod from her. “Their term for agent is relatable as an envoy, with military powers much like her current status as a Paladin." He'd flip to a different file and whistled. “But how are they able to breed with us?"

Janella blushed and then sighed. “They are working on that surprise, it was quite a shock to them when one of the Elementals impregnated a Wolfin female. Since then two more cases have happened, all with former Steel Wolves. Best guess is the odd Wolfin genetics." She'd open a file and slid it over, watching both men read it and stare at her.

“They didn't..."

“They are not a naturally evolved race and neither are the felines. Sir, even Humans have an unknown jump in our evolution, the going theory is the same race that tampered with their dna possibly tampered with ours. My personal best guess is that the ability largely stems from them freely giving nanites to anyone that wants them, without the healing abilities and adaptations for humans...we just..." She trailed off in a blush.

Jonah was confused as Emil snorted. “I think the term is they're too large for human women to handle naturally?" He watched her blushing nod. “There are full body scans in one of the files sent ahead. It might be something also to do with Clan genetic tampering as well, they are able to handle more than the rest of us. Their bodies may be able to handle the added stress of such a child."

Jonah would rub his temples. "I'm starting to miss the "good old days" of getting shot at in the militia. Simpler." He'd pick up a new data pad. "So they have prepared broadcasts ready to go..." He thought aloud as he read. "They're....going to broadcast all of the data on this hive mind...openly." He'd look over at Janella with worry showing over his face. "This is going to cause panic worse than the clans or even the Wolfin did..."

Emil looked over the different pads and chuckle. "Well now we don't have to worry so much about the senate rebellion, those idiots are going to panic worse than anyone." Zeus snorted and blinked as he looked around and then Emil laughed as Janella was flipped back in her chair and got her face and neck bathed before being snuggled by several hundred pounds of armored beast. "The Wolfin don't have politicians in any way that we do...they're not going to listen to or deal with political grabs."

"No we won't...we will remove them from the talks....Hiiiii." Spoke the collar as Zeus let Janella half sit up, but snuggled her. "Janella knows all of these details already...." His collar said a name that would make most people's brain scream and then paused. "Dark...moony....fucking...." He'd shift from Janella and slammed the collar on the table. "Admiral wishes to gather leaders in the old Terran capitol."

Once Janella finished wiping the spit from his face and neck...and wiping it on Zeus's armor, she'd look over to see the confused looks of Jonah and Emil. "Vega. I got a transmission en route here that they'd changed fully to wanting to use Vega as the gathering point, something about....I will bomb Comstar's HQ for hurting civilians." I think was his reasoning for staying from Terra." She'd sigh and shrug before looking at a beeping pad, a press of her hand to the scanner and she whistled softly. "And the Capellans are fucked, 100% banned from all trade, tech, or information until their government is dissolved."

Jonah stared and blinked before scooting back as Zeus growled like a monster from a horror movie, Emil touching his shoulder slowed him to a halt though. "Why such a harsh..."

"Murdered by the government, ship barely escaped." Came from Zeus's collar.

Janella sighed. "That's exactly it...the Combine roughed up an agent, and then actually talked to them...the Capellans murdered the agents and nearly destroyed the ship that had brought them." She groaned. "They've added in a full block on the Capellans, its being added into every contract now." She'd snort. "No wonder he apparently likes Jacob Bannson, damn he's even ordering that all of the stations jam everything going in and out of that space."

"He gets along with Bannson...the man he had kidnapped from his own bed?" Emil asked curiously, getting a little look from Jonah. "It would fit...the Admiral comes from a business family." He was reading over one of the pads. "He and two of his 6 siblings went toward the military, two into design, and two into governing." Emil smiled. "He was a test pilot for the family and did the final test runs on 16 machines, he is also listed as the primary lead and sole test pilot for.....redacted." He looked over at Zeus.

Zeus made an odd few sounds and the pads all beeped. "Authorization confirmed." Came from the pad Emil was holding.

Jonah was looking at the same pad and actually stood. "Good gods...this is one of their...."

"Class 5 assault machine, built as a command and support unit for fighting hive ground forces. Over 250 tons, primary weapons are capitol class lasers, a single plasma bomb missile launcher, and it's armored like an Overlord. That isn't taking into account the fact that this is one of the only machines we will hopefully ever see with their power plant. It also has full anti missile and concussion weapons...and...it has..."

There was laughter coming from the collar, getting Zeus looks from the 3 Terrans. "Alpha Titan...can pounce, it is also a command unit. I have seen a class 8 before very big, class 6 or above need their own ship to move. Big puppy's boat only holds one class 5, his parents have wanted him to use it all along."

"Big...puppy." Emil said trying not to laugh.

Janella let out a bit of a giggle. "A pet name...they all picked a nickname to go by, though they chose mostly English nicknames because it's the most wide spread...the Admiral's was just his rank. He finally chose Darkmoon, after Anastasia started calling him Pup and puppy."

"She makes him whine like a puppy." Came from Zeus's collar. "Little red human wolf is fun, and bad at betting. This is why I call her little red human wolf." Cue cheeky wolf grin from the fluffy monster and blushing from Janella.

Jonah shook his head. "I have heard many Wolfin bets include clothing...can we ask that there is no full nude betting during the talks?"

"You're no fun...little red wolf has new ink spots in our language...if there is nude betting we can translate...somewhat." He'd look at them. "Why do humans always turn red?"

Janella wasn't the only one blushing. "I've asked, so has Trillian Steiner, and Tara Cambell. who has thankfully started drinking less from what I've had passed to me. She has been drinking more since the loss of Tara Bishop and her forces on Skye, but with the news she'd survived..."

Jonah sighed. "She fell into the bottle. Guilt is a terrible thing. But Vega...and I'm required along with at least two paladins to attend to represent the republic, we are all allowed a security detail but no actual forces. The only groups allowed to bring in actual units are the Wolfin combined forces, and the Vegan Regulars. It appears one of the largest offers for tech assistance has been given to Vega, who I'm not sure how they'll react to having Draconis Combine delegates there on world.

Emil snorted. "If they do it how they're currently doing things on Summer...they make a ring with their fleet, one ground forces entrance. They for the time they are landed consider the area and two kilometers outside of it as Wolfin territory. As soon as they leave the planet they drop all claims to the area. Its..."

"A mobile Embassy, but there is no diplomatic immunity there. Everything you bring will be scanned well outside of the camp, you will be scanned before entering, vehicles will be scanned or torn apart if they cannot scan them. No weapons aside from batons will be allowed inside....aside from what they carry. Anastasia and her human warriors are known to carry swords, the Wolfin all carry a mix of swords, knives that might as well be swords, batons, staffs, and my personal favorite..."

"Boom stick and Boom Palm."

"What?" Came from Jonah, looking slightly worried.

Emil looked over a pad and brought up the data. "Boom stick, the nickname for the Wolfin staff that has a miniaturized concussion emitter in it and a power source for it. It looks like a gilded staff, seems that it can hook up to the suits and...." He showed Jonah a video of a Wolfin shattering armor and flesh of a Hive creature, and then more as the soldier was swarmed. "It looks like an effective weapon, the other..."

"Is limited to only a very few warriors with extensive prosthetic arms, after the loss of his arm...I would guess that the Admiral has one as well now. He is something akin to you, he is a skilled mech pilot and commander and prefers piloting a machine to running a ship. Though the fleet he is leading is ran by his family's territory, so he can get away with things like that. I have found some kinds to ground generals leading from gunships or aerospace craft as well. His flagship's captain is best known for something best translated as orbital sniping. When they have the fuel to run their own design of power plant...they use much more efficient lasers than we do, with a far longer range. The effect is..." Janella brought up a video that was marked bored gunnery. Several targets were up and moving about, little drones that one by one crashed after being sliced by an orbital laser.

The two men stared at the video on the data pads they had, dummies stood aiming weapons close to others or holding others and a limb would burn off here or a weapon there. Finally it showed the Admiral standing holding a set of tongs flipping some sort of steak on a grate with no fire. "They cooked with..."

"Lightfoot is a good space cook, knows just how to sear the meats to perfection." Came from a murring Zeus, who might of been licking his lips.

"I might also note that Lightfoot, Darkmoon, and and Blade have worked together for years. Terran soldiers have done just as bad or worse over the years...." Zeus's collar beeped cutting off Janella, and then her armor beeped, the duo seeming to look off into the distance for a long moment.

Jonah watched them and his com went off at the same time Emil's did, both men lifting coms to their ears before cursing as Janella got up and started to pet Zeus around his ears as he growled. "It looks like the Jade Falcons and Hells Horses are making some moves, I don't think they liked the "we're hunting you" statement."

"Alkalurops is one of the primary targets it seems, pushing deeper for here." Emil said as Zeus slapped a paw onto a pad and brought up a map. "It's nice of your agents to have transmitted the data here to us as well. It looks like they're sending feints toward a few of the neighboring areas, and it looks like they're sending a large force at Summer."

Janella would open a small container on Zeus's armor and stuffed what looked like a cigarette for the beast into it's mouth and lit the end before Zeus started to pace and puff on it. The smell was sweet to a human nose and if one looked Zeus's eyes would dilate slowly the more he puffed. "This is going to make things more difficult to say in the least. With the added forces, it will no doubt slow down the Wolfin."

The box on the table beeped and Tara Cambell's head popped up as a hologram above it....which made Emil vanish from sight. "Who was...never mind. Exarch, permission to join the Coalition forces in assisting the Wolfin with the Falcons and hell horses? The Wolves, Spirit Cats, and even Jacob Bannson have already put in the call for forces to assist." She seemed antsy and wanting to move rapidly. "I will not overextend my current forces and do not want us to look weak."

Jonah ran a hand through his now rather grayed hair and sighed. "And this has nothing to do with Tara Bishop?" He saw her blush even through the projection and smiled. "Assist where you can, but only where you can actually assist Countess." He'd smile softly and chuckled. "Be safe and help our new friends." He'd blink as Tara smiled happily and then yelped as she was shoved from the picture.

Anastasia's head popped into view and she'd look around. "He's hiding under the table...horrible spy." She shook her head. "Give Rose organic catnip mixed with a dash of hemp...so fun to watch." Her head turned and she'd look at Zeus. "And you are staying put Fluff, you and your squad are to play nice with the other humans and keep an eye on things. If people attempt to cause trouble or kill anyone....just don't eat them this time."

"I was hungry and it was only an arm little red wolf."

"No eating people...we're bad for you." She said and then looked around at Janella. "Keep doing your thing and get this worked out, as soon as we get these Stravags taken care of, he wants to do the meeting." She'd turn and look at Jonah as Janella nodded. "Not sorry for invading Terra, or really any of the shit I've done. I don't plan to come to Terra, calm down Comstar before my husband brings me to Terra so he can bomb them. Bannson is actually playing nice with him...I mean business nice. I have no taste for this part."

"I don't know how I can calm them down, they don't like listening to me." He'd sigh. "How am I supposed to make them listen shy of a hostile takeover?"

A pad beeped beside Jonah. "There is a base there, you can hide from sensors...not psychics. Raid it...hell if Janella and Zeus are up for it...send them and a few lances. If you send the code once in system there is a small carrier hiding on the other side of the sun from the planet."

Emil looked up finally and sat down, grabbing a pad as Anastasia looked off screen. "I win, ass sniffer." And then cursing in an alien language. "Epsilon....son of a bitch!"

"Janella, give Jonah Levin the nickel tour of the ship and give him the present."

As the screen winked off Janella smiled as Jonah looked over along with Emil. "Not telling until you're aboard. That frigate has two mech compartments."

"Which are dropped by cables of all things...." Emil said and then blinked. "Who else has a mech in that ship aside from yours."

Janella grinned and Zeus came around and started shoving Jonah's chair for the door with him in it. "Come human, it is large and shiny."

"What is large and Shiny?" Jonah said as he got up, somewhat un-nerved at being shoved around so easy. And then he saw the deadpan look from the wolf and Janella as they looked at him. "I gave up my Atlas, I don't have time to...."

"You are getting the nickel tour and taking a look at the machine. I am a Paladin of the Sphere and an Agent of Alliance...Federation....Coalition...no one can pick something someone doesn't laugh at so far. And a mech, made for a strong and skilled warrior who has been piloting a desk too much lately." She would smile softly. “Each leader must bring a mech or tank that they can use. And since you passed your Atlas to another..."

Jonah sighed. “I have to learn a new machine, deal with all of the commanders I have, politics, and spies, and go to Vega when the meeting is called?"

Janella nodded softly. “Yes. I said you would accept the new machine and pilot it at the meeting, I know you don't enjoy killing. But seeing the Exarch willing to take up a machine and lead is something the people need to see and know." She'd toss a mask and cloak back to Emil. “You too, come on."

Jonah laughed as he watched Emil slip on the mask and cloak and move to follow them.