Tae (Talonian Warriors #2)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

*** KELAN ***

F ar beneath Talonia, out of sight from enemy eyes, Kelan was in control of all operations.

He was overseeing the building of new weapons.

The lasers he had designed during his time on Earth were being replicated using metals mined from the dragon planet.

He was in a bit of a hurry to make them operational, as well as plentiful.

The threat to Talonia was becoming more imminent by the day.

The dragons were now aware of who their enemies were.

The Savra were humanoid aliens, lizard warriors.

They had become adept in military weaponry.

Most of their weapons had been stolen or copied from Earth's cache of old weaponry.

The most lethal being nuclear arms. Their young roamed Earth as large lizards, unnoticed by the humans who saw only familiar reptiles instead of intelligent life.

Only when the Savra reached a mature age did they become humanoid.

At that point, they began to walk upright on two legs and evolve into human-sized, muscular warriors, who remained covered in reptilian scales.

They were fierce warriors and found great amusement in taunting the Talonians.

The taunting had begun years ago, with ships passing overhead just to let the dragons know that others were aware of their existence.

Later, the Savra began to threaten the planet and its inhabitants with the idea of war.

They warned of their ownership of nuclear arms that could destroy the atmosphere of Talonia.

The bastards were constantly bombarding the planet to remind the weredragons they could destroy them whenever they chose.

Kelan was angrier than ever. He spent long hours beneath Talonia, missing his family and breaking his back to dig for the necessary minerals.

As their designer, he had only himself to rely on.

He wanted help, someone to train: an apprentice perhaps.

Michelle never complained about his absences.

She was always there to make sure he was fed and cared for.

He spent the time at home sleeping, eating and showering.

Michelle insisted he give their son a few moments of playtime each day before Kelan was consumed once more by weapons and war.

Those moments were the brightest in his life.

What he missed the most was soaring through the sky with Michelle on his back.

The glorious sense of oneness they shared during the flights could not be replicated.

Today, Kelan could feel the ground shake as the Savra sent blasts into the structures on the surface.

Their threats had escalated into random attacks on the buildings.

So far, no one had been injured, but the homes of some were damaged beyond repair.

It was unthinkable that war would come to Talonia, possibly killing his family and friends.

The weapons must be ready as quickly as possible, for the king wished to send the war to the Savra's planet.

Hesher, the commander of Talonia's military, stepped off the elevator platform and strode purposefully toward Kelan.

He stated, "The blast has damaged the king's domain.

The floors are cracked on the bottom of the structure.

It has taken the last of his patience. He wants to gather a contingent of soldiers to send to Savra.

They should feel the impact of war on their world the same as us.

Do you have enough of the weapons for such a task? "

"We will within a week. The mining is a slow and tedious effort. The explosions above have caused spots to cave in and made it necessary to dig through the collapses to regain access to the metals. Such setbacks put me behind schedule," Kelan replied.

"I will send soldiers to help. We are running out of time.

If we do not make the war on their planet, then ours will suffer.

Our families will die, and that cannot be allowed.

Think of your son, Keshel. He is the rarest of our species, one of a kind.

Do you dare risk his life? Choose one of my men to work at your side, perhaps one that has first-hand knowledge of the mines.

Soldiers often work in them for extra pay during times of peace," Hesher declared.

"Thank you for the offer of aid. However, you need not remind me of all I could lose if the Savra ever set foot on our world.

My son would be precious to me even if he weren't so rare.

I love him simply because he is my son. Michelle would hate me if anything happened to him, so I would lose her as well.

Send me your men and I promise to speed up the manufacturing of the weapons," Kelan replied.

The commander saluted his fellow soldier and went to the surface where his men were trying desperately to protect Talonia.

The sudden quiet he discovered there was disconcerting.

The bombing had ceased, and the dragons were sorting through the rubble for their belongings.

There were no cries for medical aid, meaning no one had been harmed during this round of attack.

They had been lucky. The school had not been touched, and the children were being dismissed to see their families.

Hesher raised his voice and forced it to echo between the mountains.

"We need volunteers to aid Kelan. The weapons we require to attack the Savra are behind schedule.

These explosions caused cave-ins and the mines had to be reopened.

Any of my soldiers who have previously worked in the mines should come forward.

It is an honorable job, despite the repulsion a soldier might feel for hard labor.

It is a passive way to fight our enemy, yet it is crucial for our planet's survival.

Who among you has the courage to volunteer? "

A young soldier with royal blue eyes, short dark hair, and the tattoo of a dragon showing through the torn shoulder of his uniform stepped up.

“I am called Tae. I will go below. I have worked the mines many times. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect our families and our world.

Those who do not wish to help us must keep the mines safe from more explosions.

Continuous digging gets us nowhere. I challenge others to follow my example. "

Reluctantly, more soldiers slowly came forward.

The mines were viewed as a job for those unworthy of being soldiers, sometimes used as a punishment for crimes.

To lower themselves and go beneath the ground was difficult for the proud dragons who craved open spaces.

In the dark tunnels, there was no room to transform, and it took away their strongest weapon: dragon fire.

Tae led the ten men to the mine's opening. The grim faces stared into the passage, then up toward the sky. They said a silent goodbye and a prayer for their safe return to the surface and entered the dark depths.

Kelan greeted them with a bow. "I know it is difficult to submit yourselves to digging tunnels and building weapons, but I praise you for it.

I need three of you in the center tunnel to help move fallen debris, three more in the sorting room to extract the minerals, and three of the remaining to the chemical lab where we mix the metal.

The last one should remain with me. I require an apprentice.

I cannot work all shifts, so I need someone to split them with.

We must not remain idle at night. The work has to continue around the clock. "

An older man spoke up, "The boy, Tae, was the first to volunteer. I say he should work with you. He is also young and thus may learn the more complicated technology more easily than someone like myself, a career soldier."

"Are you willing to sacrifice that many hours below the light?" Kelan asked.

"Yes, sir. I've often been in the mines for long hours, and it would be a privilege to learn from you. Maybe, you could tell me about Earth while we are working. The archives give only generalizations, and I want to learn more. You have first-hand knowledge," Tae replied.

"It's settled then. The youngest among the rest should seek out the tunnel for digging, while the oldest can aid the lab.

Those in between may extract the minerals.

Each man will do his best and not allow their prejudice against the less fortunate to cause dissension.

Thank you for your service," Kelan dismissed the group.

"Welcome to my domain, Tae. Do you have any scientific or mechanical abilities? I'm asking so that I know where to begin in teaching you."

Tae hung his head, "No, I am a poor man and had little schooling. I left school at a very young age to earn money for food. I was always a quick learner, and I'm good with my hands. A profession of any kind would prove of value to me."

"You do have a profession. You're a soldier. Not many young men who didn't finish school make it into the ranks. You have reason to be proud," Kelan stated.

"I hate war but find it a necessary evil. I do not wish to make it a lifetime career. It serves me well for the moment. However, my goals are far greater," Tae explained.

"You're ambitious," Kelan said. "I admire that. My wife is a lot like you. When she applied for a job with me on Earth, her credentials didn't fit the criteria. I took a chance on her because she too was ambitious and honest about it. I made a good choice for an apprentice. Do not let me down."

"I will not. I will spend extra time here, if necessary," Tae swore.

*** Eveline ***