Maerd

Winding through the dimly lit tunnels, heading away from her command post deep inside the eirehs mountains General Xanda Peels reaches the mouth of the cave. She looks out over the land and surveys the destruction War is having on her planet.

Closing her eyes she can see lush blue valleys, with creeks of crystal clear water running through them. "Oh, how long had it been since I have tasted cool clean water," she asks herself?

She can see and smell the rainbow colored wild flowers as abundant as the stars in the sky on a summer night.

As she opens her eyes the thoughts fade and she's not sure if there ever were any of these things.

This war between her people the Rorrim, and the Enigami had been going on for so long not even she is sure what's real and what's not.

Maerd looks barren and desolate, no blue valleys, no rainbow colored wild flowers, just a dull gray look

wherever she turns. The only reason she is sure this is still Maerd are the 12 moons starting their accent upward.

Standing by her side is Commander Mala, her second in command. She likes Mala, he is a capable officer, but she feels to cautious and conservative. He wouldn't let her out of their mountain fortress without at least carrying the sword of Tig, her symbol of command and a deadly weapon in the hands of the General.

"When was the last time I left the bunker"? She turns to commander Mala.

"I don't know", answered Mala, as his eyes dart from side to side constantly

on watch, efooc gun firmly in his hands.

"Relax Mala, the Enigami could not get up here without our guards seeing them".

The commander did not relax his vigilant gaze. It had been too long, he didn't know how.

Standing in her war room surrounded by her officers, "We must attack now"! General Peels shouts.

But general says Cdr. Mala, if we attack now we stand the chance of being wiped out completely.

We still don't know enough about that new weapon the Enigami are using.

Even the Enigami have to see they can never use that again. That weapon not only destroyed

our troops and theirs but disintegrated large portions of the planet, General

Peels replied with a shaky sound of fright in her voice. And we don't have the time for new intelligence reports, we have to strike and strike now.

"Cdr. Mala, ready our troops we march in two hours".