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  It wasn't a fairytale city, but it looked like a utopia. Tall clean spires that didn't go much above two or three stories. Houses were laid out in a pattern, a pattern the Elentrin used to their advantage as they attacked. They spiraled in around the farms and other buildings and as it went in, they were more complex while the city seat lay in the middle. McKenna tried to figure out what sort of government the Drakyn had, but nothing came up to that thought. Just the efficiency to eliminate everything as they worked their way in. Setting up everything for the Elentrin to use this as another staging area.

  The air smelled clean, and while McKenna knew they had electricity she didn't see lines running anywhere. Even the buildings somehow seemed right. Not a huge metropolis, but a city probably about the size of Rossville proper. She itched with the need to learn more but couldn't sink into anything in this odd knowledge to pull out what she wanted to know.

  The body kept striding forward looking at the other Kaylid spreading across the area in a silent deadly wave. Some had already hit the first buildings, and she saw a flash of red out of the corner or her eyes, but the head didn't turn so she could see. Up ahead a building that screamed family home with the courtyard, the odd small animals running around in the area.

  I'd guess the equivalent of chickens, maybe?

  She couldn't focus on them long, but the feathers gave her that impression. A being ran out of the door, screaming something in a liquid language that made her want to stop and pay attention to learn how to speak like that. It held a broom and ran at McKenna.

  The moment froze in her mind as she saw every detail. The elegant lizard-like neck and head, the jewel tones covering the body, the simple dress-like robes in the same vibrant colors that complimented the skin. Fine scales so small she didn't know how she saw them. Long delicate hands wrapped around the broom shaft so hard that white coated the knuckles. Large eyes that seemed to swirl with blacks and reds as a scream that seemed primal in origin rippled out of the throat.

  She wanted to put up her hands, to assure this being that she just wanted to talk, to learn about them, to hear the language again.

  The body raised the weapon in a fluid move and McKenna felt herself sighting down the barrel and aiming at the head. A twitch of her finger, light erupting from the end of the weapon, before she could blink the light slammed into the head of the being rushing towards her, and it disappeared.

  The body ran a few more steps, then crumbled to the ground, the broom still wrapped in its hands.

  McKenna wanted to scream to apologize, to run from what she had done. The body kept moving forward, and the purple blood that trickled from the neck rated only a glance as if to verify the being had been killed. A quick glance inside the house revealed nothing else. The body she rode moved back out and kept walking on the road, the spiral twisting through the city like some perversion of a yellow brick road.

  It spirals but it's leading death into the heart of their city instead of leading me to the wizard.

  McKenna's thought tasted like bitter ash and she was oddly glad that she didn't have a real stomach, otherwise she might be throwing up.

  "Commander, all troops have been deployed at the perimeter and moving in now."

  "Acknowledged. Be aware there seems to be more resistance than normal. Not only are the normal guards resisting, but the populace is fighting back also," the body replied out loud and mentally.

  Huh, wonder if she has a microphone or communicator as well as the mental speech? Wait, a single being attacking with a broom is more resistance than normal.

  Thinking about anything except the dead bodies that were littering the area seemed like an excellent idea. All her questions wouldn't have answers, and she didn't know what else to do.

  That thought pulled her attention back to the action going on around her. There were a few people fighting back and throwing things at the Kaylid. One even seemed to have a bow and arrow-like item, and she did see one dead Kaylid on the ground.

  Where are the soldiers, the protection? Why don't they have guns around them? Where are the people fighting back? Why didn't anyone grab that weapon and use it against them?

  It made no sense. If this happened in any city she'd ever visited, people would be digging weapons out of every closet, the military and National Guard would be attacking. Surely they had known they were landing. What was going on?

  She could see barricaded doors that had been broken down, Kaylid splattered with purple blood, but nowhere did she see any form of organized resistance. Mostly people running and hiding. It made no sense. From what Wefor had said, this feud had been going on for centuries if not millennia. Why didn't they fight back?

  "Commander, we are approaching the business district. So far injuries have been light, but there are signs of more organized resistance at this point."

  Well, finally.

  "Carry on. The losses are negligible so far. There are five ships of Elentrin waiting to inhabit this place. The body remover corps will be following along. We have been instructed to convert all dead to fertilizer. Remove all weapons from fallen Kaylid and any property that can be reused." The voice never blinked or even flinched, but McKenna wanted to scream.

  They don't even allow them to be buried or mourned or anything? They aren't people. They're tools. Disposed of when broken.

  The absolutely reality of that sank in and McKenna started trying harder to wake up, to get away from this hell. But she couldn't. An invisible observer as the Kaylid continued to sweep through the city in a pattern that didn't waiver even as the buildings got bigger. The body count just increased.

  McKenna had tried to focus on the weapons, they seemed best at short range. She'd seen a few try to shoot the Drakyn that stood on roofs throwing things at them, and while the beam might hit them, the roofs weren't very high, they would stumble back, body smoking, but they would still be alive.

  They had reached a large market area that looking like a tornado had swept through, or a horde of soldiers.

  "Commander. A Wyrm has been spotted. It is incoming, and it looks like three of them."

  A sigh slipped out of her host. The first sign of any emotion McKenna had sensed from the body and it bowed its head. "Very well. Retreat to the shuttles, double time. Lure it to that area and get out the heavy weapons. I'll let the officers know we have one incoming. The causalities will be high but we need to eliminate it then finish clearing the city."

  "Yes, Commander."

  As if given a command, every Kaylid she could see pivoted and at a ground-eating lope they poured out of the area. The commander stood there for another moment, surveying everything, then turned and tore out of the area.

  What in the hell? Does this mean they can be stopped?

  The first bit of hope McKenna had felt leapt up in her chest. Moving her attention to the shuttles as they approached though she did note how fast they could cover ground.

  We need to be working out more in warrior form. I suspect we are a lot more capable in that form that what I've been assuming.

  The shuttles came into view, and she saw Kaylid pulling out big tripods with another Nerf gun-like thing on top, just about double the size of what they had been carrying. They were maneuvering them and pointing towards the city. Her host moved up one of the ramps then turned to survey the city. There in the distance what must have been a strange plane approached the city. As it grew closer McKenna realized it had to be huge, way bigger than most airplanes. And it moved funny, in an up and down motion. McKenna fought to focus on the creature, she could swear the wings moved.

  "All weapons are in place, Commander."

  "Acknowledged. Don't fire until it lands. Concentrate on the head and underbelly."

  Head? Underbelly? You mean this is a living creature coming towards us? It must be huge.

  McKenna fought to turn the head to look again, but the body had its head down looking at the weapon held in two furry hands.

  "Incoming, Commander."

  The b
ody looked up and McKenna got a glimpse of gold wings, massive size, and a loud noise blaring in her ears. She lifted her hands trying to protect her ears and ended up smacking herself on her head.

  Blinking sleep-gummed eyes, she looked at the ceiling, the alarm still blaring.

  "Fine, fine. I'll shut it off," JD grumbled as he sat up and hit the stop button on her clock. She rolled over to look at him, and he had the same sleep-dazed look she did.

  "You won't believe the dream I just had," they both said at the same time.

  Chapter 7 - Dream Analysis

  Quiet Iceland has been in the news lately, not for their volcanoes or their glaciers, but their simple acceptance of shifters. As one city official put it, "Iceland doesn't have any natural predators anymore. No wolves, lions, jaguars, or anything like that. So all animals are being treated as intelligent beings. Any livestock is tattooed at birth and this eliminates any issues. We aren't sure why this is such an issue for other cultures. I mean how often have you seen a tiger walking down the street calmly in New York? ~ TNN Shifter Special

  None of them said anything else until they all sat out on the deck, food in front of them. JD broached it. "I figure you had a dream."

  "Oh, you could say that. Wefor, it wasn't a real thing happening now, was it?" McKenna asked, trying not to hope too much for the training options.

  [While aware of your interaction in the dream-state, no information about it was gathered. Please describe. Allowing you to remain in the dream did not provide access.]

  "Huh. I had wondered about that, since I tried to talk to you and you never responded." McKenna ate slowly, telling them everything about the dream. She didn't broadcast it right now, wanting to keep it to the three of them right now. She didn't pull the punches even though Charley listened. He deserved to know. She probably sucked as a foster parent, but she couldn't treat him like an innocent child. She didn't think he had any innocence left and she wouldn't put him at risk by not having information he might need.

  They both listened intently not making any comments until she had finished.

  "Sounds like the same attack I moved through. I cleared out homes and businesses. Frankly, I didn't want to do anything, but nothing I did could affect what the body I watched through did. They killed beings hiding from them. And I can tell you these people lay eggs and then tend to them. I watched as they stomped through what must have been a nursery and destroyed all the eggs that were there, even the smallest that must have just been laid. I couldn't understand what the Drakyn were saying, but I didn't need to know what they meant. They pleaded for their lives, for their children. And the Kaylid I rode never even flinched. In many ways riding a machine would have been easier. I can't swear, but I think maybe the being had feelings, but they had been switched off?" JD rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I saw these beautiful elegant creatures get mowed down like they had no idea how to fight back."

  "That!" McKenna pointed her finger at him. "Being attacked with a broom seemed to surprise my host or at least seemed unusual enough to be remarked on. I don't get that. Yet they almost freaked out when this Wyrm started incoming. But I couldn't get a good look at it."

  "Neither could I. My host was focused on setting up those big guns, and I could only get a glimpse of something big with wings. Nothing else."

  "Yeah, that's about what I could get." McKenna said, sighing. "I really wanted to see what would scare them. There's so much I think we don't know. Wefor, can you tell me anything about the Drakyn culture?"

  [Not really. They don't have space travel, as they have never needed it, but there is no information as to why. They are technologically advanced, but in ways different from the Elentrin. There is no information in the databases with details.]

  "Do you know why the Elentrin hate them so much?" McKenna asked.

  [That information is not present.]

  McKenna sighed. "I really think there's too much that doesn't make sense. Wefor, were you able to determine if this was real or a training session?"

  [From the information you have provided and the fact that the ships are in your solar system, this seems to be a training session. Testing to make sure the Kaylid could handle the needs. Some do break, the nanobots are instructed to kill them at that point if they have no ability to handle what is expected.]

  The matter-of-fact way the AI said it made McKenna shudder. To think of killing someone, anyone, because they were in the way, horrified her. And it was clear from their actions they had no issue with slaughtering innocents. She turned and looked at Charley who watched them with a serious look on his face. Part of her wished he looked horrified, but instead he looked thoughtful.

  Is that better or worse that the child in my care is so world-wise?

  "Were you in the middle of all that?" She tried to keep her voice flat, but a hint of worry crept in.

  Charley shook his head. "No. I was on a ship, I think, working with weapons. But I don't think they were the ones you were using. From what you described yours were long and kinda chunky at the front?"

  McKenna nodded.

  "These were pretty short, held in one hand. They had a really wide front. They kept telling me they were collectors. Made to be used on other Kaylid. They kept mentioning something about collecting." Charley frowned, taking another bite, his pale eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "We were supposed to practice shooting them. We all had to shoot each other. But this time I didn't see Jessi or Jamie. It was just other Kaylid, all in warrior form."

  Charley looked up, wrinkling his nose. "Getting shot with it felt really odd. Like a static shock over your entire body, then you just fold up. It didn't hurt so much as like when your foot goes to sleep and you need to wake it up, but everywhere. You can see but can't move or do anything. I mean I could breathe and blink, but not move my fingers." He shook as if in wolf form trying to shake water off of him. "Didn't like it."

  McKenna looked at him. "You okay?"

  He avoided her gaze by paying very close attention to his pancakes. "But they did say that was setting one. The higher ones knock you out. I want to say the highest put you in a coma-like state. After we all tested on each other, we were given these tags to attach to them. They kinda reminded me of what you see on cows sometimes?" He glanced up at McKenna, and she nodded.

  Cattle in the area often had plastic tags affixed to their ears, usually showing vaccinations, age, or other information important to the owner.

  "Well, we were supposed to put the gender on it, there were five options? So that didn't make much sense to me. Then height and weight. The hand scanner that created the tags would provide that part. Then it was a quick clip onto the ear and we were supposed to move on."

  He stared out at the field avoiding her and JD. "The person giving the orders, not the same one from the dreams before, said a collection vehicle would be by later to pick them up." Charley fell silent and poked at the pancake again.

  The fact there still was pancake on his plate told McKenna something bugged him.

  "Soooo… what else happened that's bugging you?" she prompted, but didn't stare at him, instead she got herself some more bacon and potatoes.

  "What does tubing mean?" he asked, biting his lip as the pancake slowly turned into mush.

  McKenna blinked. "Umm, I don't know. What was said?"

  "The teacher person said they would be collected and tubed. What does that mean?"

  "Oh. Umm…" McKenna thought about the conversations she'd had and shot the question over to Cass.

  ~Cass, does the term 'tubing a Kaylid' mean anything to you?~

  ~One second,~ there was an odd feeling of tension, then Cass's voice came back.

  ~They were all kept in canisters or big tubes from what I could figure. Like racks of canned goods. So I could easily see it called being tubed.~ Her thought had an odd quality to it.

  ~Is that good or bad?~ McKenna asked after double-checking it was only her and Cass in this conversation.

  ~Yes? They didn't seem to
be in pain from what I could figure out, but I'm damn sure they also killed or in their view eliminated anyone not need or damaged in some way. And it was done with less interest than you might pay dumping expired canned goods.~

  ~So noted. Thanks, Cass. You dream at all last tonight?~

  A taste of strawberries washed across the connection.

  ~Yes, but not in the way you mean. I have to get back to work. Yell if you need something.~ Cass closed the connection, leaving McKenna smiling a bit. She had a good idea what Cass had dreamed about.

  She opened her eyes to see Charley and JD looking at her. "Charley, it probably means they were talking about how they, the Elentrin, store Kaylid. Cass says they're put in big containers and kept there. Not asleep, but not hurting or anything."

  Charley frowned, then his eyes lit up. "Oh, like at the beginning of the movie Alien, when they were all sleeping?"

  "When did you watch Alien?" McKenna blurted out, even as JD looked surprised.

  Charley flushed, his skin turning into a light pink that crept up to his ears. "Uh, while we were at JD's while you were gone. Trust me, we're never watching anything again like that. That freaked us out."

  McKenna didn't know whether to hug the boy or fall over laughing. The idea of watching Alien at their ages? She hadn't watched it until a teenager and it had still scared her then.

  She cleared her throat trying to seem unaffected. "Yeah, similar idea, probably different technology. They don't hurt or aren't aware of anything. They just sleep until they wake them up."

  "Oh," Charley sighed relieved. "That doesn't sound that bad. So they just sleep until they need you?"

  McKenna just nodded, not wanting to get into what their lives were like outside of the tubes.

  "Nothing else?"