Eledheluial

Chapter I

[Spiral, 5021 OC]

It was beautiful, he had to admit that. The blue-green ball spun there in space, still far enough away to look small, but growing rapidly in size. The SWIFTWING was still in spelljamming speed, it would be ten minutes or more before the vessel was close enough for the planet to drop her down to tactical speed. Then, assuming the star charts on Spiral were accurate, another twenty minutes to set down in the harbor of Anfalas. He wondered if elven picket ships would board and inspect the SWIFTWING first. The shrikeship had landed on Spiral before, many times according to her crew, but caution was always prudent when a spelljammer arrived bringing the wider universe with it.

He shook his head, and ran a hand through his brown, unkempt hair. Something told him the Eledhel would not, could not be prudent. The SWIFTWING was a human vessel, yet she had been to Spiral many times. According to the crew Spiral was colonized by the elves, yet they welcomed human and dwarven settlers among them. It was as if they felt by accepting other races among themselves, they could atone for the arrogance and isolation of most of the other elven worlds. He smirked, they would atone, but it would not be as easy they seemed to think. Yes, the elves of Spiral would atone for the sins of their race.

He shook himself clearing that pleasent thought from his mind. Best not to dwell on a future which might not come to pass if he failed in his mission. He glanced about the ship, the crew lounging by their stations as they waited for the lurch that meant the ship had dropped to tactical speed and they would be needed in bringing the ship safely down. None gave the tall, brown haired man a second glance, after the long voyage from Greyspace he was familiar enough, several even thought he was a friend. That might be useful, later.

He returned his attention to the planet they were rapidly approaching. In the distance he could just make out a large object floating in orbit above Spiral. A space station, the Fleet headquarters would be there and a portion of his mind noted the information even as he felt the lurch of the drop to tatcical speed. Spiral filled the horizon now, white clouds scudded across the atompshere and the contrasting greens and blues now delineated continents and seas. A high pitched whislte from the quarterdeck pulled his attention to port, a swanship was now matching the SWIFTWING in flight, and crewmen with flags were rapidly signalling back and forth between the vessels. After a few moments the swanship banked off, leaving the shrikeship to continue her descent alone.

Foolish, he noted, and that foolishness would make his mission much easier to accomplish. Even as that detached portion of his mind noted the armament and crew of the elven ship, he began to review his mission briefing...

[six months earlier, on Dukagsh]

Yves Bukak walked through the halls of Vozagogalug, the tower of his order, with a confidence that he did not entirely feel. He had not expected to be summoned so soon to the briefing chamber. He had only completed his training two weeks earlier, in the past he and the other new Vozagogat would have been taking positions as guards within the tower, attending lectures and observing their superiors for a several months, at least, before being sent on a mission. Not to mention fulfilling their duties in regards to continuing the order. He had been the best in his class, the most skilled, the most successful in field work. But if one such as he were being summoned now, to lead a mission only weeks after finishing training, then the start of the War of Revenge must be closer then he thought. Anticipation and worry filled his mind as he stomped through the tower's halls, anticipation at the elves he would see slain, and worry that he might prove week, unable to aid the cause.

Outside the briefing room two of his classmates stood guard, clad in black and silver studded leather emblazoned with a single red eye on their chests. Dressed as Yves himself, including the broadsword hanging from his belt though he did not carry a halberd as they did. He drew himself up, and said loudly in scro, "Yves Bukak, reporting as ordered." Yves could see the jealousy in their eyes as they opened the doors to the briefing chamber and motioned him in. Some could only see the potential honor of such an early mission, not the dangers involved.

Within the briefing chamber a short, white-haired old man sat behind a large table, he too wore the studded leather emblazoned with the eye. Sitting next to him were two battlescarred scro, both wore the uniform of admirals in the Scro High Command. The three watched the young man enter the room with interest.

Yves marched to the center of the room and presented a crisp salute, his forearm vertical and upper arm forward, so that his raised, gloved fist emblazoned with the another red eye faced the three at the table. "Almight Dukagsh Hail my Commanders!" Yves shouted.

The white haired old man nodded, and Yves snapped his salute down and returned to attention. The old man was the commander of his order, known only by his title, Sharku, now, which itself simply meant "Old Man" in old orcish. The Sharku was said to present each briefing personally, so that he might keep better track of the orders operations.

"Yves Bukak, you have done will in your training and field work. You are now fully Vozagogat and ready for a mission. Few receive a mission this early, you are thus greatly honored." The old man spoke slowly, and despite the fearsome appearence of the scro admirals next to him he dominated the room.

"You will proceed to Greela, in Greyspace where you will book passage to the planet Spiral in Spiralspace. An elven colony world." As the Sharku spoke Yves' blood went cold. He was chosen for the mission because he was young and would not be missed. He was expected to fail. As if he could not read Yves every thought, the Sharku continued "You will remain on Spiral for one year, examining the planet and preapring a report. You will concentrate on planetary defences, and attempt to discover if any of the lesser vermin, such as orcs or kobolds, also inhabit the planet. When your time is done, return here and report. The Sharku motioned to a packet of papers sitting on a table nearby. "All we have on Spiral to date is there, you leave at once."

Yves again saluted, shouting "Vengeance is Ours!". After the Sharku acknowledged the salute, the young Vozagogat spun opn his heel, retrieved the packet, and marched back to his quarters to pack. A whole year among the elves, and not permitted to slay any. Dukagsh had cursed him. Nothing for it, the War required that each fulfill their role. Best to do the job right, then perhaps the elves he would have to smile and laugh with would still get what they had coming.

Yes, the elves' foolishness would make his job easier. Of that Yves was certain, he only hoped the world proved suitable for conquest. Watching the blue seas below and the thick, green forests along the coasts as the SWIFTWING descended to the city below, a city of pristine white offset by glittering silver and gold.