{Earth}
The jet from Enki’s conduit to Earth in Siberia landed on the airstrip beside the Egyptian fortress. Bones, super chill Icarean warrior, waited on the strip with Lamassau, a supposedly fire-breathing green Tritan, and an unexpected guest, Iuo. The Reipon Lamia chose his bipedal form for the event and dressed appropriately for mayhem in black tactical gear. One of two hundred plus princes on Reipon, Bones wasn’t prepared for Iuo to get down like this. Invited by the Tritans, the snake man arrived only minutes ahead of the main crew.
Tameka disembarked first. When communicating the lineup, she mentioned leaving Pax in Enki with Karter and the gang. Safer there for him than this bullshit on Earth. She cut her hair since Bones last saw her, and when that sunlight filtered through Earth’s Sphere and hit those shoulder-length curls, the vibrant red glowed like fire. No stylish shades to cover those bright green eyes.
Caedes followed after her—big shocker. The broad, bald Icarus clung to her like a living, breathing shadow since Xelan died. They all noticed, but his actions were just so damned noble nobody could mind it. He also dressed in black tactical gear and wore a frown to match.
When Tumu unfolded behind him through the small opening, Lamassau sighed beside Bones. The two were an item ongoing for as long as Cinder existed, apparently. It was… cute. In a shocked, couldn’t look away from the train wreck sort of way. Especially once they started kissing—
“Bones, report,” Fury called as she approached in a bright yellow dress. The Progeny females always looked good for a fight.
Bones stood at attention on reflex from his time under Korac’s command. “Sovereign Ambassador, we left Colton and Cypher to guard King Rayne. Two thousand nacre-free humans gathered at the conduit to Cinder. We locked down the evacuation and stationed two hundred nacre-endowed humans to guard the conduit.”
Hands on hips, she gazed in the thoroughfare’s direction. High-tech tents with provisions and paperwork welcomed Icarean refugees to Earth. These people wanted for nothing upon entry. Fresh lives without the fear of starving or missing a nacre upgrade. Elden thank the Shadow.
Tumu asked, “Are there Icari on standby?”
Lamassau nodded, more sobered than Bones expected from the comedian. “With the obvious racial hostilities, we kept them from harm’s way unless things escalated.”
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“Smart,” Tameka agreed. Unexpectedly, her black wings opened, and they all stepped back. Caedes opened his next. After a wordless exchange, the pair took off in the uproar’s direction.
“You hear so much about the Progeny. Team-players, forthcoming, heroes…” Iuo quipped.
Bones shook his head in good humor. “No. You hear they get shit done. When was the last time anyone said that about the Lamias or the Tritans for that matter?”
They all looked at him and glanced among themselves. Silent.
Until Tumu confided softly, “Peaches is in a bad place with Star missing. We make sure she gets back to Pax. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” they answered in unison before taking off at nacre speed across the sand.
When they arrived, the crowd stared at the redhead in the sky as if she were proof of angels. “…And that’s why the human race needs nacres.”
Caedes hovered on her right side, scanning the bewildered faces like he expected to take a bullet for her. Again.
Good thing, too. The humans gathered in tactical gear, complete with gold spikes reminiscent of Volcano Day uniforms. The Icari harbored an aversion to the metal which caused a nacre disruption.
Bastards.
No weapons in sight, but with that many pockets…
“No one is forcing you to accept a nacre. You can return to your homes and live a nacre-free life. But we are absolutely dispensing them to the rest of the population.” Tameka glared at the crowd with her green eyes hardened to stained glass. Her frown reflected her disdain. Hands on hips with wings should look foolish, but she wilted grown men to shame from her obvious disappointment.
The green Tritan took up at Bones’ side. At thirteen feet, he stood out in the crowd. A deeper forest green on the tops of his arms and shoulders, his complexion faded to a spring green on the undersides. When Bones wasn’t looking, the Chef donned some serious gauntlets. Was that Pil platinum? A black metal with unbelievable density, it was known for its heat resistance.
Shit was about to get real.
From the center of the throng, a tall woman with ass-length, mousy-brown hair spoke up. “You are throwing away our humanity without our permission and sacrificing us to these aliens. And you have done so for several years now. The Progeny—hybrids, not even humans—should not speak for the human race. We shall speak for ourselves!”
Cheers followed. Many a congratulatory look was shared. Tumu and Lamassau met Bones’ and Iuo’s gazes. They all rolled their eyes and looked back at the crowd. The stupid parade.
With the ruckus, the protesters missed the swarm of Icarean warriors—heroes who fought alongside King Rayne on Volcano Day—surrounding them. They communicated some guidelines as Tameka flew in with the Tritans. Arrest them all with minimal injuries. Avoid killing at all cost. But the moment they turn lethal, apply personal judgment. The four men stood side-by-side, tense and ready for combat. How bad could it be? Certainly not Shadow-chain bad. A bunch of no-nacre humans with zealot complexes—
The green in Tameka’s irises swallowed the whites of her eyes.
Oh. It was that bad.