Babylon 5 Crusade Book I Out of the Darkness, Come of the Light

Chapter 4 Queen

Winn-rei had skimmed the information she had managed to get from Galen briefly before she followed Galen down onto the planet surface. It was eerily quiet now that the Excalibur crew where no longer on the ground. Galen walked down the ramp of his ship moving his hood up to cover his head as it started to rain.

"Where do we start?" He mused quietly as he scanned the destroyed camp, Rei scanned all of her props hoping some of them had not been destroyed.

"I feel that maybe n-" she said, but she was cut off by a scream, it sent shivers through both of their souls as they turned quickly towards the noise. "Queen"

Galen didn't even have time to nod in reply before she had vanished, he blinked and took a moment to realize that she had just teleported. He shook himself before he ran towards a clearing, taking a moment to take in the scene.

Max was cowering down behind some rocks, he seemed to be unharmed for the moment Galen could see his shoulders tense and trembling. Winn-rei stood in front of the rocks eye to well fix into the creature that was just watching her curiously. Galen was struck by the Queen's terrifying beauty and the sheer fact she was not a natural creature.

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The Queen stood in all her glory, onix scales shimmering in the sunlight as rich ruby eyes stared at the meals before her. These creatures who barely reached her stomach had dared to take her king from her. She flicked her tale and pulled back her lips she sniffed the air. The sweet smell of fear rolled off the male in the back. Licking her lips she let her her salvia run down them, loving the smell of burnt grass as it ran to the floor. She also loved the way her preys heartbeat would patter a little quicker.

The female caught her attention, her heartbeat did not change, and she did not smell sweet. She smelt unchanging, and new. Moved her large head closer, growled slightly low in her throat and there a wave of the smell, but not from here. Glancing sidewards the queen saw the new arrival. His smell had been strong by her mates remains.

***

Galens eyes widened as he was thrown across the clearly, he hadn't seen the large tale swiping at him before it was too late. Breath was forced out of his lungs as he hit a tree hard, his world became hazy, he could hear a battle on the edge of his consciousness which seemed to be slipping away.

Colour swirled around his mind as the ground shook under him. He should be helping Winn-rei, but all that floated through his head was an old fairy tale which had been told to them before becoming an apprentice. The Sword and the Halbert.

Winn-rei had been the one to tell him as a young eager student, it was the first time he had seen her.

"No it wasn't" he mumbled to himself, a door opened in his mind a new memory came rushing towards him. A woman, another technomage, her brown hair streaked with grey, her life etched on her face. She had been around in the early years, being from the union of two Technomages, he was unique. With this woman came a girl, rich red hair and a little older than him.

He did not get to see that many people. His lacked coordination caused his father believed could get him hurt, he became like a caged bird in a gilded cage.

Memories from his childhood raced through his mind, he grasped for them to try and see if they heald any information, or understanding of what was happening to him. Finally he pushed them away, he needed to focus.

In the clearing there was a guttural language being spoken, harsh and basic but ineligible to his ears. He forced his eyes open, to see the queen straightening up, and seeming to speak back to Winn-rei, and he could understand.