Word Count: 6763

Day fouurrrrr:

“Someone is coming.” She said in a voice deeper than her own.

“Smith, where is my report?” Chief Commander Jonathan Jones strode into the room. He was over six foot tall and muscle bound; his camouflage clothing was ironed to perfection, his dog tags catching the light around his neck. “Smith?!” His voice rose above the others in the room and silence enveloped them. “Where is Smith?”
“He is on patrol, Sir.” Said one of the men to his left, on the screen in front of him was a series of complex numbers and flashing dials. “One of the perimeter cameras picked up some human movement. He took a patrol of seven out at thirteen hundred hours.”
“Its nineteen hundred hours now. Do you still have contact?”
“No, Sir. We lost contact one hour ago.”
“Why did you not contact me?” He demanded.
“Sir, we were informed that you were in a meeting with the President of Rheso. I was told not to interrupt you.”
“Sir?” A female from across the room stood, with her headset around her neck. “The second flux is coming in for landing.”
“Send them to Bay Three. Bay Two has the damaged vehicles in it. Get them moved and check on the first flux civs. Send a robo-cam out to where you last had contact with Smith and the patrol.”
“Who will be meeting flux two, Sir?”
“I will. I will make contact with Co-Commander Patrick and meet them in Bay Three.”
Jones strode from the circular room and stopped by his quarters to change from his tank top to a more suitable camo shirt which he tucked neatly into his trousers. He tucked his tags into his shirt and collected his jacket as he left. Powering down the long hallway he ran a hand over his short black hair; as he entered the cafeteria his deep green eyes scanned the hundred or so men and women under his control.
“Jon-o!” shouted a familiar voice.
“Pat.” He said, much more controlled. “I need you with me; the second flux is due to land soon.”
“It’s early” Pat said as he walked towards him. His bleached blonde hair stuck up in all directions, his fringe flopped across his face and brushed his eyelashes. His pale blue eyes twinkled as he flicked his hair.
“You need a haircut. You look like a hobo we pulled off the streets.” Jones and Patrick had served in all four world wars on Rheso. They had been in the same regiment and had come away in one piece which was better than some of their comrades. Pat laughed heartily and slapped Jones on the back;
“You know you love my hair just how it is!” He grinned widely, “come on, I thought we had civs to welcome to Skyeyla.” Together they made their way in silence down to the ground floor of the main building before exiting onto the tarmac and into the hot sun. Skyeyla was closer to the sun than Rheso was; it had long hot summers and short mild winters which seemed to suit the “natives” well. The Northern part of the Rhesii territory was dense jungle but the southern part was beautiful sandy beaches which overlooked the ocean and on a clear day they could easily see across to an island that lay not far offshore. Jones had sent several patrol teams out and had found that to the North the land became dryer with large patches of thick dense forest and several lakes that they had seen. Whereas to the East and West they found the forest gave way to rolling hills of grasslands, where animals of the likes they had never seen before roamed. Jones had lost several patrols due to unknown circumstances before he realised that they were not alone on this planet.
“So, what did the Pres have to say?”
“The President,” Jones replied with an eyebrow raise as he pressed the security code into the steel doors of the quarantine building; “he had a new damage report this morning and wanted me to know that our time frame has been shortened yet again. We’re looking at an absolute maximum of twenty years.”
“Fuck.” Pat swore loudly; “that is not a lot of time to get this placed decked out for four million people.”
“He reckons the magma flows are peaking in Europe and Africa and in a year or two they will burst through the top layer. The oceans have risen another meter and they’re losing more land every day. He wants to send a third flux as soon as this group have been put into quarantine. The other two planets he sent troops to have removed the natives who were small in numbers, unlike this place.” His voice was unwavering; “we need to get rid of them so we can start expanding, we’ve just put the finishing touches to the housing for them.”
“Oh? Where will they be placed?” Pat asked as he pushed open another door.
“Just North of this facility, inside our perimeter markers and close enough for us to keep and eye on them.” As they walked into the quarantine area they were greeted by the twenty soldiers that had accompanied the civilians. They stood to attention as Jones and Patrick walked past them.
“As you were men.” Pat said, his strong voice reaching the civilians who hadn’t heard them enter. The three hundred men, women and children turned to look at Chief Commander Jones and Co-Commander Patrick.
“Welcome to Skyeyla,” Jones said with a beaming smile as he cast his eyes over them.

Mycah stood slowly, leaning on Chenyo and Sorrel, her eyes blurry and unable to focus.
“What happened?” she murmured trying not to disturb her throbbing head.
“You danced all of the dances,” Chenyo answered loudly causing her to wince with pain. “I have not seen anyone dance them combined before.” Suddenly an apprentice ran into the Dojo and bowed before Chenyo, he was out of breath his small face red as he struggled for breath.
“Chenyo, there is someone approaching us from the South.”
“Dio help Sorrel with Mycah, take her to her quarters then join me.” He said, Dio stepped forward but Mycah held her hand out to stop him.
“I’m fine. I want to come,” she pulled herself upright and made for the door. “Come on.” Chenyo strode out the door with the red faced apprentice by his side closely followed by the other from the Dojo.
“How many?” He asked a loud.
“Twelve,” answered Mycah and Sorrel in unison.
“I think they are the band of Invaders from before, Chenyo. They weren’t far from here when I saw them earlier. I can check from above?” He nodded and watched her carefully as she pushed herself into the air and shifted into her hawk. As she rapidly climbed higher, she linked her mind quickly with Chenyo’s allowing him to see perfectly clearly.
“Your vision has improved,” he said. “There. There they are.” She hovered in the air before descending in a slow spiral. She moved lower and slid through the canopy shifting quickly into her monkey. She was directly above the group who were moving slowly through the dense forest, they hadn’t found any of the tracks that the apprentices had made so they were finding it tough going.
“They don’t seem to be armed, and they don’t have any magic.” She paused as she leapt a particularly big gap in the trees using air to push her the final few feet. Landing lightly she turned to watch the group of five women and seven men. “Want me to contact them before they come through?” She asked slowly.
“Yes, Mycah. Be safe.” Chenyo replied.
“Really?! That’s so cool!” She squealed, she removed the magic allowing him to see but kept her mind open to him so they could converse easily. She chattered loudly to get the attention of the group; two of the women looked up and located her among the trees. Quickly she clambered down to the floor level and shifted into her human form; the group gasped and two of them women screamed in fear. Now she was in front of them she couldn’t think of anything to say, she bit her lip before quietly speaking.
“Er...hi. I’m Mycah.” One of them men stepped forwards.
“What are you?” His voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
“I am many things, why? What are you?”
“I’m human...”
“No, you are Narai.” She replied quickly.
“I am what?”
“You have no magic. Any of you. I can’t feel it.” She tilted her head slightly.
“What did you just do?” asked one of the women, stepping forwards to join the man.
“I shape shifted. You are walking towards our centre. But I don’t think you want to hurt anyone. I can’t sense anger towards us. So what do you want from us?”
“Us? There are more of you?”
“Yes. There are more of you too.”
“Bring them to us now, Mycah.” Chenyo said gently.
“Dragon Master Chenyo wants to speak with you now,” she turned away from them. “Follow me.” She shifted into her wolf and trotted away, she turned back to see if they were following. She connected her mind to all of them quickly, “come on.” Their eyes widened in shock as her voice echoed through their heads.
“How did you do that?” the woman asked clutching a hand to her head.
“Magic.” She answered and trotted away, her bushy tail waving behind her. Slowly they begun to follow her as she lead them to a track which bought them out in front of Chenyo and the other waiting Dragon Masters.
“Welcome to The Dragon Centre” Chenyo said as they emerged. “Mycah join Sorrel and Dio in the Egg Room. I shall join you once I have settled our guests in.”
“Yes Dragon Master Chenyo,” she said as she shifted. She ran across the grass until and disappeared around a corner.