Part 5

THE FIRST BATTLE

They came from the star you know as Procyon, a huge fleet consisting of
three Titan class starships, a dozen or so Corvettes, a few thousand
cruisers, and tens of thousands of smaller class fighters and interceptors.
Thanks to a scanner array given to us by the federation, we were not
totally without warning, but it still was a complete surprise to the
average citizen.  The day the fleet uncloaked in the sky, thousands of
fighters penetrated our atmosphere and attacked our major population and
military centres. I was just exiting a reception for the opening of our
first genetic engineering research facility that Lunar had attended with
myself and J'arehk. Suddenly, a wing of fighters thought the building
seemed important enough to attack. The new structure exploded in a hail of
shrapnel.  I threw myself over my charges using my wings to shield them.
As the starcraft came in for another sweep the three of us spread our wings
and flew off to the royal estate.

Remarkably, the buildings on the estate had transformed into
a battle fortress.  Tritainium alloy panels covered all the windows, and
sections of the roof had moved back to expose massive plasma batteries.
But the most surprising change of all was the force field that was being
projected from the outer walls of the estate, The Tigress in all her
infinite wisdom had foreseen such a battle.  Even as we watched, our forces
launched the counter attack, battlesuit-enhanced troops were taking to the
air all around the city  Compared to our troops, the attackers might as
well have been manoeuvering in slow motion.  Our troops would flock in
groups of three or four to a single fighter and melt it apart with fiery
blasts.  For every one of our troops that fell, at least three of their
craft exploded. Their generals, obviously sensing a losing battle, recalled
their fleets.

We went immediately to the throne room, as we entered it was as if we had
stepped back in time.  There was The Tigress lounging on her pillows as if
nothing had happened.  She approached us as usual but the question she
asked was not the normal one.

"Oh my daughter, I am so sorry, I should have sent for you. Are you
alright?"  Her eyes clouded with concern she embraced her heir.  While they
were still holding one another a guard entered the room and bowed before
the pair.

"My Majesties, the ambassador of the Procyians would meet with you and asks
safe passage to your halls." The guard remained on one knee waiting for an
answer.

"Tell him The Tigress extends her welcome and would have him join me for
dinner in a few hours. Also send an emissary to escort him to the palace."
The guard made note of her orders and left. "I would appreciate if you
three were there this evening as well, my daughter."  With that The Tigress
walked off to prepare for the upcoming meal.

Several hours later the ambassador arrived with his honourguard and the
escort that had been provided to him. This race that had attacked us was
not much to look at that was for sure.  They seemed to be reptilian but
they also possessed a sort of hairy mane that wreathed their heads. This
mane was a variety of colours but their skin was always the same shade of
pea green. As the procession of short creatures approached (the tallest was
only about 5'), escorted by our solders, I wondered how they would ever be
able to dine with our kind, what with most of our tables being almost as
tall as they were. But as usual The Tigress with her inexhaustible wisdom
had thought of such a possibility.  After all the race that had contacted
us, the Canites a lupine race, had an average height of no more than six
feet. The Tigress had recognized ours as obviously one of the taller races
and in the months after first contact, she had the Galactic Dining-room
built. This room used low tables surrounded by reclining couches so that
when seated (or reclined as the case may be) there was almost no difference
between guest and host.

It was into this room that the procession was conveyed.  The Tigress,
Lunar, and myself were already seated when they arrived.  J'arehk was
behind us acting the role of the High Cub's personal caterer.  The
assortment of aliens, both solders and the ambassador, were shown their
places and the feast began.  I will not go into detail over that meal but I
will say that the chefs had done their homework as far as Procyian gourmet
was concerned. The familiar dishes that were brought out certainly helped
to relax our guests, but all the Fierrans present were just barely managing
to force the vile concoctions down.  Because of our discomfort, we had all
finished our meals and were all waiting in expectation when the ambassador
finally stood and wiping some juice from his lips presented his speech.

"Whell, I moost say you furballs certainly know how to cook, I'll put that
down on my conquest report and make sure your chefs are spared the
slaughter to come."  What vile pile of rubbish was this?  I looked at The
Tigress hoping to see her drawing her sword to cleave the filthy reptile
right then and there.  Instead her eyes betrayed no emotion at all, she was
simply listening to this obnoxious brat's banter.  Even as I was thinking,
the scaly vomit-receptacle was continuing his gloating speech, "'T'was so
nice of you to escort us in here woman, thanks for not searching us as
well, it made smuggling in our homing beacons all the easier."  Thus said,
the little troll-like thing took a communicator from his pocket and pushed
a single button.  Immediately all around the room,  squads of Procyians
transported in and barricaded the exits.  All of the Fierran diners, most
of which were important dignitaries, not to mention The Tigress herself,
were now the hostages of these xenophobic lizards.

"You see Miss Tiger, we found out that your strangely advanced yet
primitive society had not yet discovered transporter technology.  We
formulated that as such, you would not have transportor-resistant defences
to be able to stop us from transporting a whole freighter load of solders
right into our little meeting.  And as you can see from around you we were
correct." A couple of the lizards had become nervous by this time.  We were
their supposed hostages, but instead of begging for mercy, or attacking
directly as most species would, we simply lounged on our couches moving
nothing but our tails. The long-winded ambassador, oblivious to this,
finished his speech. "It was also rather nice of you to remove most of the
guards from this room," he continued. "Except for some old war vets in
obviously ornamental armour (he was referring to my pearl breast-plate I
reasoned), you sat here practically defenceless.  Nicest hostage job I've
ever had the privilege to execute."

As if on cue, our party of supposedly defenceless hostages simultaneously
unsheathed our claws.  Some if us also drew our swords. After this brief
display The Tigress finally spoke. "Oh ye of overwhelming pride, do you
really think that I would let an armed contingent such as yourselves wander
in here upon me while I was totally defenceless?  I should hope not."  At a signal,
several panels in the walls opened.  Fierran solders in full
battle array poured out into the room, training their blasters on the
intruders as they emerged.  Now that the ambassador had moved away from the
tables, and no more aliens were present at them, The Tigress summoned a
magic barrier encompassing us.  No longer hostage, The Tigress gave a
command and our troops opened fire.

In the onslaught of blasts that occurred, the Procyians abandoned the
undefendable barricades at the doors.  Instead they retreated to the
various statues and potted foliage that lay scattered around the room.
Even so, our troops were on home turf and took down the Procyian forces
with deadly efficiency.  The battle flowed in our favour for a while, but
then somehow the ambassador summoned reinforcements.  Within a matter of
minutes the dwindling battalions of lizards had grown to an army of nearly
three times their original size.

Amongst the new recruits a larger transportation field was forming. It
materialized in front of us into a gargantuan lizard.  Similar to the terran
Tyrannosaurus Rex, this creature stood over eleven feet tall and had
the added feature of four mammoth arms.  Two of which were holding a
Disruptor Pulse Cannon, a normally ship-mounted weapon.  This behemoth
roared out in savage laughter, and led a charge against our front lines.
His scaly hide repelled most of our blaster's damage.  Instead they only
angered him more. He was picking up our solders, flinging them against
walls or crushing them in his bare hands, all the while the Disruptor Pulse
Cannon was mowing down our defenses. The battle had decidedly turned in
favour of our enemies.

After a while of watching this slaughter, I approached the High Cub. "My
majesty Lunar, your humble servant would request permission to engage the
enemy." Lunar was taken slightly aback but after a moment replied,

"Gar, by all means if you ever could risk your life in my service let this be
the time."  With that she kissed me lightly and motioned for me to go.
The Tigress beckoned to me as I passed.

"Gar Lunarfang, I would love to enter the battle and make this filth
scatter before my claws, but unfortunately I have innocents here to
protect. So instead you must fight in my name.  I give you my power, hold
out you sword."  As I complied and lifted the blade before her, she
slightly nodded her head and almost as if she had lit it on fire the blade
began to glow with renewed magical energy.  I walked slowly toward the
barrier that separated me from the slaughter, it parted slightly as I
approached and I stepped forward into the fray.