The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

From Crisis to Crisis

As quick as the resolution to the captured lilith crisis was, it wasn't mirrored by the events that followed. Anxious to be about the hunt for Anna van Tallert and the traitor on the Council of the Night, Lash immediately prepared the Nighthawks to carry the twenty two liliths that wanted to leave Hunters' Fjord and travel to the various Conclaves to await their m'tada protection to gather before trying to retake their holdings. Or take shelter at those selfsame Conclaves until the situation with the slavers could be resolved.

At the same time, he continued to restrict himself to the base core, which was equipped with a small, dedicated infirmary, galley, and quarters close to the command center so he wasn't uncomfortable. He did so to ensure his presence wouldn't be any sort of a distraction to the anxious liliths. Which, of course, only made it more of a challenge for the liliths that knew he was there, to interact with him.

Prepared within the hour following Jeriko's return to Mordecai's base, Lash took a position close to the war table in the command center, waiting for Atrix to say the transports were rolling. And he waited. And waited.

Until a week had gone by with no word of the other Conclaves preparing to accept the liliths on an interim basis for their own protection. Instead of letting it be time wasted, however, he made sure to use every minute of every day to make sure his borrowed legionnaires and the Ventru operators got in as much Qos Viran training and conditioning they could fit into a single day.

Drills were non-stop, education sessions continuous, and weapons and tactics familiarity opportunities were round the clock. And he found himself satisfied as the legionnaires and the operators threw themselves into their training with determination and resolve.

Which gave him a little time to take care of the adjunct business he had with the five liliths that requested it instead of choosing to attempt a return to their home Conclaves.

"It was a bold move, Isla, to request adjunct status," he said, offering the chair in front of his desk for her to sit while he himself perched on the desk's front edge. "What did you hope to gain from it, if you don't mind me asking."

Looking far more composed than she was a day ago, Isla nodded as she sat.

"I don't mind at all," she said, looking up at him, her gaze steady and resolved. "Some of my sisters put value into gathering resources, others: possessions. Some even like to work on increasing their holdings. These things are easy to do when resources are plentiful. But you can ask any lilith, myself included, what we value most."

Lash smiled.

"Stability," he supplied and she nodded again.

"Right. Stability. With my House destroyed, and Temeura too weak to properly protect my sisters in the South Pacific, there's no stability left for the Conclave in Sydney to provide."

Isla looked down for a moment, her expression moving from resolved to sad and frustrated before becoming resigned and resolved once more.

"If I could." She looked up at him. "I would join Amylia, sorry, Mara as a lilith of Clan Ventru."

"You want stability, Isla, yet wish to join Ventru?" Lash frowned despite himself. "We're in the midst of a pogrom, mistress, if you hadn't noticed."

"And yet you remain unbowed," she quickly retorted, reaching out to put a hand on his knee. "Your resolve is unwavering, Lash, your strength unquestionable. That is the kind of stability I want. With Temuera, I have none of that. Ash me, they haven't even tried to bring me to Sydney for protection! Cassie, too. We've been left in Europe to make our own way!"

Lash glanced down at the hand she kept on his knee, before looking back at her.

"While I am Ventru, I am not Ventru, Isla," he pointed out. "I am House Lash."