Title: "A New Life"
Author: Lt. Commander K'Lara
Stardate: 2460255
Earthdate: April 3, 2386
Location: Xenon III

"Dana!" K'Lara screamed when she saw the doctor fall to the floor. She tried to get out of bed, but she was still too weak from giving birth. She then cried for Lataro. "Jon! Get in here!"

Lataro burst into the hut and instantly saw Nori lying motionless on the floor. He went to her and checked for a pulse. He found one, but it was very faint. He then went to K'Lara.

"I'm going to get Stephen. I'll be right back."

"I want to see my baby," K'Lara whispered before he moved. "Please."

Jon smiled and went over to the crib. He picked up the baby and set it K'Lara's arms. He saw the tears in her eyes and he brushed a lock of hair from her face.

"I'll be right back. Dana needs help."

K'Lara nodded and Lataro left the hut in search of Captain Maruu. K'Lara looked at Nori then at the baby. She felt a strange sense of relief and pain at both having the baby and watching her friend faint before her eyes, and she was powerless to do anything about it.

"What is happening here, little one?" K'Lara asked her baby. "One person is dying while another is barely starting. It all seems strange, but in this career anything is possible."

The baby cooed and she looked at him. She smiled as his eyes blazed with an intense light. He was part-Klingon, part-Telian, and part-Human. A strange mixture of races all living harmoniously in one tiny body. She could see the faint ridges on his forehead and he had Lataro's eyes.

"What to call you?" she whispered to him as she stared deep into his eyes. She then smiled, "How about T'Lan Alexander Lataro?"

The baby cooed again and K'Lara couldn't help but cry. Cry for the baby she was given and cry for her friend Dana.
 

(OCC: T'Lan is pronounced Ti-lon)
 

Title: "Pilgrimage"
Author: Captain Stephen Maruu
Stardate: 2460255
Earthdate: April 3, 2383
Location: Xenon III: En route to Noran

"How is she?" asked Stephen.

Neklus was smiling. "Well, K'Lara is fine. Her hemorrhaging is completely healed. The baby, T'Lan is in perfect health: a miracle of Kalmar since he is six months premature. Dana will be fine. She just swooned. The power of Kalmar must have overwhelmed her."

"How were they healed?"

"Kalmar often uses our priest, Kaltanthrop, as a vessel. He has the power of the gods behind him. There are only three others with the holiness of Kaltanthrop."

Kaltanthrop approached the group. "They will all be fine. The baby is strong and will survive. I recommend giving him Kalmar's blessing when we get to Noran."

Jonathan joined the group. "I agree. After all, he saved my son and my wife." All Jonathan could do was smile.

Suddenly, Lazarus and Dweezle approached the group. Dweezle spoke first. "Cap...Stephen, we were wondering. How should we..."

Neklus's eyes opened in horror. "Prepare for battle! We have been infiltrated!" He pulled out his sword and aimed it at Dweezle's neck. "How did you get through our guard, Horde?" Neklus demanded.

A group of Borial soldiers approached.

Lazarus quickly pushed away Neklus's sword and stood in front of Dweezle as a shield. "Stop! He is one of us!"

Neklus grew red with anger. "Move away, Virgo! This one must pay for the evils of his brothers."

Stephen grabbed Neklus's sword. "This one is with us. I cannot allow you to harm him."

"But he is a Horde!"

"He is a Virgo, not a Horde."

Suddenly, the Marines rode in on their glap'tas. Johnny jumped off his glap'ta and approached another that held the unconscious Horde. He grabbed him by the neck and flung him in front of the group. "Here is a Horde we captured. We've got three dead Virgos as well."

That announcement both saddened and exited Stephen. He kneeled down and turned the Horde around so that all could see his face. No doubt, he was of the same species as Dweezle. "Damn. So it is true."

Neklus laughed in triumph. "The Virgos have shown their power. They have captured the enemy. We will take him to Noran and interrogate him there. As for this Dweezle, you say he is a Virgo. I will take you at your word. Kalmar has told me to trust you, and I shall."

Stephen smiled. "Thank you."

The first sun began to surface on the horizon.

Kaltanthrop said, "The first sun rises. We will leave shortly. This has been a sleepless night, but there will be enough time for sleep and celebration at Noran."

So, the Borials and the Virgos prepared to leave camp.
__________________________________________

A trumpet sounded. It was time to leave camp. Everyone had packed their stuff and placed it on glap'tas. K'Lara held little T'Lan in her arms as she rode on a glap'ta. Jonathan walked beside her. Dana had regained her strength and had insisted on walking. Stephen walked beside her. Neklus and his wife and son traveled together. Neklus walking while the wife and son sat on a glap'ta. Kaltanthrop rode a glap'ta not too far behind. The rest of the group followed those eight.

Only a three-hour walk from the camp was a village where they would pick up some supplies from some generous Borial civilians. The group walked calmly, recognizing the fact that the walk to Noran took one entire day.
__________________________________________

The village of Rotarin was still a few miles away. Nevertheless, the smoke could be seen from that distance. Neklus and Stephen offered to ride ahead. Jonathan and Johnny followed.

What they saw was terrifying.

The village lay in ruins. The huts had been burned, and many helpless Borials littered the ground. Severed arms and legs lay sprawled all over the floor. All three had seen carnage like that before, but this was still dreadful.

Then, at the far side of the destroyed Rotarin, the group of four saw five stakes stuck in the earth. As they approached them, they saw what they were.

The stakes held, at their summit, the heads of five men, all shrieking in terror.

After seeing that, the only one that didn't turn away in disgust was Neklus. He had seen that signature before.

The three Virgos turned back to the stakes. Johnny noticed a sign nailed to the middle stake. It was written in Borial. He asked, "Neklus, do you know what that means?"

"Yes," answered Neklus. "It says, 'Beware the wrath of the Horde.'"

Stephen was more determined than ever. "We will put a stop to this." He paused. "We must."

Jonathan and Johnny both nodded in agreement.

Neklus placed his hand out. "For the glory of Kalmar."

Stephen grabbed Neklus's hand. "The freedom of the Aody."

Jonathan did the same. "The triumph of the Borials."

Johnny repeated the gesture. "And the honor of our fallen warriors."
 

Title: "Damsel in Distress"
Author: Lieutenant Benton
Stardate: 2460255
EarthDate: April 3, 2383
Location: Xenon III: En route to Noran

After leaving Rotarin behind, Francesca knelt by the side of a brook and looked down into the placid water. Her reflection looked back at her from the shallow pool. It seemed to wink at her and wrinkle its nose in funny expressions as the stream's ripples played with it. Behind her reflection's head, the forest's living green canopy high above let through dancing beams of sunlight. The light swirled around her and when it struck her hair, it gave her reflection the appearance of an angel with a halo.

She had taken a quick dip in the cool water of the stream. It had been very refreshing, and now she was drying herself in the broken sunbeams.

Francesca stood and sighed contentedly. This planet was so beautiful, it was hard for her to believe the horrible stories that had circulated among the Virgos about the wars between the Borials and the Horde. As if to confirm her sentiments, a large orange butterfly-like creature came fluttering down from somewhere overhead, and to
Francesca's delight, flitted about her for a few moments before disappearing once again into the foliage above.

She was enjoying herself immensely. The planet was like something out of a fairy tale, and these new *clothes* she had been supplied with were something a fairy-tale warrior princess would wear. Francesca had outfitted herself with a midnight-blue miniskirt and matching low-cut top which she had tied into a knot above her belly button. Ornate solid brass bracers encircled her forearms, greaves protected her shins above a pair of soft leather boots. A pair of wicked daggers hung in leather sheaths were strapped to her upper legs, completing
the ensemble.

So, dressed in these snappy and enticing new duds, a happy Francesca strolled through the forest. True, they were supposedly here to fight a war, and were currently marching to the Borial capitol city for training before embarking on a final assault, but Francesca was too caught up in the scenery to think about that right now.

So caught up in fact, that when the shrubbery behind and to her left rustled loudly, she was severely shocked. She gave a high-pitched yelp and spun to face the noise. Her daggers were out in a flash so quick, the eye would have had a hard time following. Francesca could be giddy and unfocused at times, but she could also take care of herself.

She crouched in a fighting stance, daggers at the ready, and peered into the bushes. She could see nothing, there was no movement, and the only sound was the rustling of the breeze through the boughs overhead.

Francesca relaxed a little and lowered the daggers. She took a breath. *I guess I imagined it,* she thought. She finally decided that there was no threat, so she resheathed her blades and turned back in the direction she had been walking. *Maybe I should head back. It might be safer,* she thought, but that line of reasoning was quickly snuffed out as the beautiful scenery reasserted itself on her psyche.

As she walked, she fiddled with her new clothes, and considered searching out Benton to ask him his opinion. *Oh yeah, that would work out fine. I'd say, 'So, Benton, what do you think of my new clothes?' And he'd say, 'Hello there, Francesca. Your new clothes seem to fit very well.' Oh, he can be so impossible sometimes! Still, he...*

This time her thoughts were interrupted by more than a rustle in the surrounding undergrowth. This time it was a mighty crash! Not as startled as she was the first time, Francesca spun around once again. Her hands were on her dagger hilts, but just then, events exploded too fast for even her reflexes. Something knocked her off her feet, but as she fell, she caught blurry images of things around her. She saw a large, brown, hairy set of jaws leaping at her. The thing that had bowled into her was smaller, also brown, but felt hard, not furry. Then she saw an enormous, golden shape flash in and out of her crazily tilting field of vision. Things whistled through the air, but she couldn't see them.

Francesca landed hard, but not *too* hard. Something heavy landed on top of her. She was momentarily dazed by the impact and was sprawled flat on her back, but recovered quickly and sucked in a lung-full of
air. She turned her head to look at what was lying on top of her.

"BENTON!!!" she yelled. She squirmed and managed to shove Benton off of her. She rolled and scrambled to her feet and confronted him.

Benton also regained to his feet. He was dressed in more traditional ancient armor: dark brown leather upper body protection, light brown canvas pants, knee-high soft leather boots and hardened leather bracers. Metal studs riveted into the leather added a little more protection to his shoulders. He didn't appear to be packing any
obvious weapons. Benton's array was topped off by a light, short, olive-green cloak he could wrap all around himself. In a forest such as this, he could probably make himself disappear from sight altogether. His attire contained very little metal, and seemed designed more for stealthy movement and camouflage than all-out
fighting.

Presently, Sitto Lan popped out of the forest, clad just like Benton. Benton stood still while Francesca stared at him, her eyes wandering quickly up and down. She seemed to be trying to decide what to do. Finally, she unclenched her fists and stood upright. She smiled and said, "Hi, Benton. Uh, what do think of my new clothes?"

"Hello, Francesca," replied Benton. He noticed her garb. It made him feel funny, somehow. He was just about to say something when he noticed her attention was no longer on him. His gaze followed hers.

Francesca was mesmerized. She was looking at the ultimate specimen of ancient warriors if ever there was one. This was surely the golden blur she had seen rushing past her before. Now he was standing with his right boot on the chest of a dead, vaguely wolf-shaped animal on the ground before him. He was at least seven feet tall. He was clad almost head to foot in bronze chain mail. His green hauberk was emblazoned with an emblem consisting of a yellow tree underneath a silver, eight-pointed star. He was armed with a pair of strange bladed
weapons, one held in each hand.

His face was chiseled as if from granite. He had a powerful jaw and a noble brow. His gaze was steady. It turned toward Francesca. When he spoke, his voice was deep; commanding. He said, "Are you unharmed,
milady?"

Francesca walked toward him as if in a trance. "Yes, I'm *fine*. Now that *you're* here." She put her arms around the giant's arm.

The giant detached himself from Francesca and sheathed his blades. He took a step back, knelt on one knee and bowed his head low in Francesca's direction. "Milady," came the booming voice. "I am yours to command."

Francesca looked shocked. What did she do to deserve this kind of treatment? She looked to Benton for some clue as to what to do, but Benton was no help at all. He could barely understand *normal* human customs. *Sheesh,* she thought.

"Um... Get up... Uh..." Francesca stuttered. "What's your name?"

"My birth name is Thuddius, milady," he replied. Then after an almost imperceptible pause, he said humbly, "But I am known as Thudd."

"Then get up, Thudd," said Francesca. She stepped forward and hauled on his arm to make him stand. It was like trying to pick up a mountain, but after a moment's hesitation, Thudd stood.

"Why are you mine to command?"

Thudd looked embarrassed. He tried to turn away, but Francesca reached up to his shoulders and slowly turned him back. Thudd couldn't meet her eyes.

"Tell me," Francesca said, more gently.

"I was watching you. Down by the stream. When you came out of the water and dried yourself." Thudd looked away in unbearable shame.

Francesca patted his bulging arm. "That's okay, Thudd."

Thudd disagreed. He said, "Milady! It was not well! I did wrong, and damned us both! When the Fangwolf attacked you..."

"The what?" asked Francesca.

Thudd indicated the toothed beast at his feet, "The Fangwolf."

"Oh, that," said Francesca. "We would call them 'Wargs'."

"As you wish, milady. When the Warg attacked you, it was a punishment from the gods for my transgression. The only way I could redeem myself and you was to kill the Warg. I have done so. I placed you in jeopardy, I am now yours to command."

Francesca was at a loss as to how to handle this turn of events. The only thing she could think of was to say, "Well, all right then, Thudd. Please escort me back to the van of the marching column." She would have to report this to the captain.

"Yes, milady. This way," said Thudd as he started off through the forest. Francesca followed him without giving another glance at Benton or Sitto.
_________________________________________

Benton looked at Sitto. He had not expected this turn of events. He had tried to save Francesca from the Warg. He said, "Sitto, why are we dressed like this?"

"So we can sneak around in the woods and follow stuff around?"

"Who have we been tracking *all day*?"

"Franny."

"Why?" asked Benton.

"Because you assumed Franny would get in trouble if she got too far from the column."

"What happened?"

"She got in trouble," said Sitto.

"Who saved her?"

"That giant guy."

"How's this going to look on my record?"

"It won't be a bright spot."
 

Title: "Trouble"
Author: Lieutenant Garek Loran
Stardate: 2460258
Earth Date: April 4, 2383
Location: Xenon III: En route to Noran

After breaking camp early in the morning, the group of Borials and Virgos were back on their trek to Noran. Neklus had estimated that it would be a another day's walk until they reached their destination.

Garek volunteered each of his engineering teams to be foot patrols for the convoy. Garek was personally leading Alpha Team, with Ensign Antilles as his second in command. His group, along with Johnny Chee's Marine group were leading point. The Marines on the glap'tas, while the Alpha Team on foot. Many of Garek's squad were carrying broadswords. Some of the more burly people in the group carried battle axes. Ensign Antilles, along with about five others in the group opted for bows and arrows. Jennifer Antilles was quite adept at the bow, crediting it to her being on the track and field team at the Academy.

Jennifer, along with her knowledge, was also taught by some of the hunters in the Borial group in the perfectionism of the bow. She had become so good as to be able to strike a bull's eye from 50 yards out.
Although the rest of the archers in Alpha Team were still behind, they were working their way upwards, and progressively becoming better.

Although Alpha Team was walking with Chee's Marines, Garek would've hoped that they could've been walking in front of them, and not behind. Needless to say, the scent coming from the glap'ta's backsides. "Aw, man!" one engineer yelled out from the back. He walked off to the side, and lifted up his right boot for inspection. What he had feared was present. Glap'ta droppings. As Neklus and Stephen made their way up on the engineer's position, Neklus saw the engineer standing on the side, and smiled.

"What's so funny?" Stephen asked, following Neklus' glare, trying to establish a target.

"One of your Virgos has come across the remains from a glap'ta," Neklus started to laugh.

"Oh. OH!" Stephen got it. He then started to laugh as well. Then, a slight squish was felt under his feet. "I think I know how he feels." Stephen showed some displeasure. Neklus laughed even harder.
__________________________________________________

After five hours of trekking through different types of terrain, they came upon a clearing in a field. Some trees were scattered in the area, and a stream ran parallel to their path.

"This looks like an ideal place for rest." Neklus stepped out from the convoy line. "Everyone! We are stopping for a break. Please, eat, drink, and rest."

Some sighs of relief were heard scattered throughout the crowd. Both of the Lataros, with their new bundle of joy, made their way under a tree for some shade.

Benton and Francesca walked next to each other. Apparently, Thudd worked off his little debt to Franny. Or, maybe he didn't. Who knows? However, Fracesca appeared very happy, laughing, whilst an arm was wrapped through Benton's. Benton was smiling as well, something you don't see him do very often.

Garek, seeing a solitary tree a little out of the way from the rest of the group, made his way over to it. One branch was low enough to the ground for him to jump up and swing onto a higher one. Up there, he enjoyed the breeze as it made it's way through the leaves of the tree. Reaching down and grabbing his idej pole, he pulled it up. Removing the cap of the staff holder, he reached in, and pulled out the elegant weapon. Then, he removed the sheathes off both ends of the weapon. The metal of the blades glistened in the sun.

Laying the weapon across two branches, Garek leaned up against the main trunk of the tree, and began to take a nap. At least until...

"INCOMING!" yelled Johnny Chee.

Garek woke up immediately. He watched, as Borial warriors scrambled, picking up their weapons. Garek picked up his idej and jumped down from the branch he was sitting in. "Jennifer! Report!"

"Horde troops are on the move, heading this way, sir!" Antilles yelled back, as she picked up her bow, and her quiver of arrows. "Approximately 50 of them."

"Perfect," Garek said. "Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma teams! Form up over here!" Eighty engineers made their way over towards Garek. "We're going in, providing back up for Chee's Marines. Everyone that is an archer, stay behind the foot soldiers with swords." *This is going to be hell.*
 

Title: "The First Battle"
Author: Captain Stephen Maruu
Stardate: 2460258
Earthdate: April 4, 1999
Location: Xenon III: En route to Noran

Stephen unsheathed his sword. He said to a fellow Virgo, "Take K'Lara and T'Lan and Neklus's wife and son to a safe place!"

He nodded and left.

Then, Jonathan joined Neklus and Stephen in the frontlines. "What are we waiting for? Let's move!"

Dana pulled a sword away from Neklus's assistant. Stephen was about about to protest when Dana said, "K'Lara is nursing and we're outnumbered, now shut up and fight!"

Jonathan and Stephen ran into battle.

Neklus looked at Stephen and said, "You allow women soldiers to enter into battle?"

Stephen only answered, "Yes."

"Interesting. I should think about that."

Johnny Chee rode up on his glap'ta. "What are we waiting for? Attack!" Johnny and his Marines moved into combat.

"Let's join them shall we?" Neklus turned to the Borials. "Borials, attack!"

"Virgos attack!" shouted Stephen.

The battle began. Stephen ran up to a Horde. The Horde attempted to cut Stephen in half, but Stephen quickly swerved to the left and sliced the Horde in half.

He ran for another Horde more heavily dressed. This one was apparently of higher rank. Stephen tried to perform the same move, but the Horde was more prepared. He blocked the movement and backhanded Stephen. Stephen landed in the dirt. The Horde pulled out a knife. He tried to stab Stephen, but Stephen grabbed the Horde's hands and twisted them and delivered a kick to the Horde's face. Stephen stood up along with the Horde. He remove a knife from a leg sheath he had. The Horde tried to cut off Stephen's legs, but Stephen jumped in time. Then, Stephen kicked the Horde in the knee, punched the Horde, and proceeded to slit
his throat. The Horde fell, dead.

Dana moved across the field with ease. She attacked a Horde who pushed her unto the ground. She immediately got up and pushed her sword into the Horde.

Then, Dana was approached by two Hordes. She was having a hard time fighting the two Hordes at the same time. Dana was thrown to the ground and was about to have a sword plunged through her by a Horde when someone tapped the Horde on the shoulder.

"Hello," said Stephen. Then, he punched the Horde in the face. He punched the Horde one more time before sweeping him off his feet. He helped Dana to her feet as two more Horde approached. "Let's do our booster flip."

"Got it," Dana answered. Stephen offered his hands, and Dana mounted them with her right foot. Stephen boosted her into the air. Dana flipped and, as she fell, grabbed a Horde's neck with her legs, rolled, and landed the Horde head first on the ground, hard. A couple of snapping sounds were heard.

Then, the couple fought off the rest of the enemy.