2 comments/ 13550 views/ 7 favorites Fenza: She of the Forest By: MayorReynolds 1,570 AQ – TANGLEWOOD, A TOWN ON THE CONTINENT CORINA. Ulily was talking politics again. Grun's ale always did that to him, making post-patrol nightcaps at the Have Another alehouse especially grueling for Nard. "Heads up their asses, the whole lot of em!" Ulily bellowed, slamming his mug on the table. "I'll tell you this (hic) tell you this right now. Next elections, I vote for the opposite who I want to win. Cuz every (hic) damned time I cast a vote, it's always (hic) always opposite who I pick!" Grun scrunched his green Orcish face, growled in disapproval, and continued serving drinks. Nard was always embarrassed when his Commander got sloshed in this manner, but understood Ulily's reasoning. Tanglewood's Central Hub had recently ratified a decision to cut the Shadow Patrol's budget by 20%. The mayor had only seemed half-convinced when he stated the reasoning. "Shadows are lessening, he says," Ulily grumbled. "The Shadows are as damned thick as they were when the Chaos Demon was dragged under the water. They're as (hic) thick as when I was a brat in training clothes, as when the mayor was preened off his mama's tits. 20% of a budget cut? He'll see. He'll see when we're stuck in the thick, surrounded by thirty Narangorn with dead batteries in our broken Kickers. When his precious town's overrun by Shadowspawn and his whores are screaming for mercy in the dark of his suite, he'll, he'll see." Ulily took a sip and gently lowered his mug. His sudden silence gave Nard, Pre, Legi and Ocolla hope that there wouldn't be an incident. That hope was fleeting because Vae was equally knocked. "Why don't you shut up about Narangorn?" Vae whined. "Excuse me?" Ulily barked. "You'd do well to watch your tongue when speaking to your Commander, boy." Vae would, except he was drunk. "No damned Narangorn in this part of the country. Hell, Narangorn don't even exist anymore." Nard and Ocolla exchanged a worried glance. They knew what was coming. "No Narangorn..." Ulily made a show of scooting his chair until he was inches from Vae's face. "I apologize, Vae. Y'see, these old ears ain't what they used to be and I get confused. Believe you said something about no Narangorn?" "That's exactly what I said," Vae clarified, too wasted to back down from Commander Ulily's attempted intimidation. "It takes an especially dire Shadow to produce Narangorn." Ulily grinned a passive-aggressive grin. "Boy, I've seen Shadows of the direst. I ever tell you the story? About why I trans—" "—yeah, yeah, you told us all the story!" Vae snapped. Ulily pointed an intrusive finger. "Boy...I am eleventy paces past tolerance of your disrespect!" Grun looked up again. One suspicious eye expanded. "Fifteen of my Mates died that night," Ulily continued. "The godsdamned Narangorn surrounded us without a twig snap, and then I was covered in my Mates' blood. Now you look me in the eye, boy. You look me in the eye and you tell me Narangorn don't exist!" "Piss off with that stink Orcish ale breath," Vae retorted. "It was your own incompetency, you drunken old straggler." Ulily's chair seemed to fall of its own accord. The Commander jumped up, sending his mug crashing to the floor. "THAT'S IT!" he yelled. He readied his fists. Vae did the same. "No, that is it for YOU!" a raspy voice boomed. Grun was closing in on their table. "I warned you," the towering, muscular humanoid growled, baring his Orcish fangs. "I granted you leniency to return here in exchange for good behavior. Piss in my eyes, will you!? Out! The same goes for the rest of you! Go! Get!" Nard would sooner swallow a Stinger battery than argue with an Orc. The others shared the same sentiment. They began to leave. Ulily was not done. "Let me remind you who I am." Ulily was reeling on drunken legs. "I am Commander of the Shadow Patrol's Eastern Wingspan, answering only to the Chief! And an Orc orders me around!" "Leave," Grun insisted. His patience had burned completely through. "Shadows may as well have shat out your kind as well!" Ulily barked. Grun's arm shot out at amazing speed, grabbing Ulily by his uniform collar and lifting him high into the air. Ulily kicked and struggled like a misbehaving child as the Orc led him to Have Another's front entrance and tossed him face down in the landing lot. The others were waiting outside. Grun gave them all a final hateful glance and slammed the alehouse's doors. An enraged Ulily pried himself off the gravel. His face was cut and bleeding. "Throws me out in the street!? I'll arrest him!" "So you're a City Guardsman, now?" Vae sneered. "You don't have the authority to arrest him, Commander." Nard normally sanitized himself of these affairs, but tonight it had gotten far out of hand. "Alright, that's enough," he said, stepping between the two. "Would someone kindly take them home? Both of them?" Ulily confronted Nard. "I have my own pod, thank you." "And you're drunk," Nard calmly countered. Ulily shook his intoxicated head. "Another Mate disrespects me. I'll take you on, you little were-rat. Both of you!" "I'll drive them home," Ocolla volunteered, taking Ulily's hand. "Come on, Commander. I'll send someone for your pod. You too, Vae." Ulily's face was contorted in anger. But Ocolla's offer disarmed him and Vae didn't protest. As the two staggered behind Ocolla toward her own roadpod, Nard was struck by how beautiful she looked in the moonlight, even beneath her modest SP armor. Nard turned to Pre and Legi, the remaining Mates. "Please don't mention this at HQ tomorrow night. If Chief Zy asks, keep your answers short." They nodded in agreement. "We have this routine memorized," Pre said. "Good." Nard walked away. Pre ran to walk with him. "That was a stir and a half. Worst one I've seen yet." "Let's hope it's the last, especially at Have Another," Nard bitterly replied. "Grun will probably murder the Commander next time." "Nasty business," Pre said. "Oh, but speaking of nasty business—" "—she's a Mate of the Shadow Patrol, Pre. Bound in respect and fellowship, remember? I can't betray Ocolla's trust." "You're a lucky boy," Pre grinned. They'd reached Nard's roadpod, a red triangle resting its belly on the ground. Members of the City Guard were supplied government issued vehicles; Shadow Patrolmen provided their own transportation. "'Luck' I'm not so sure of, Pre," Nard said. "Anyway, I'd better get home. Tonight wore me out." They watched Ocolla's pod hiss and then levitate two feet off the ground, steam exhaling from its four undercarriage boosters. Its propeller rockets lit with blue fire and the pod left. Legi's followed suit. Pre slapped Nard's shoulder. "Well, best of luck to you, in any circumstance." Nard returned the gesture and smiled. "Likewise, friend." As Pre walked away, Nard let out a deep sigh. He popped the hatch on his two-seated pod and climbed in. A thumbprint brought the engine to life, and soon Nard was floating. He drove away. Roadpods are steered with a gearshift [steerstick] that also governs the speed depending on how much pressure is applied. The radio [transmodule] was on. "That was Leafsteps with their classic hit, 'Return to Harmony,'" a gentle and frail voice proclaimed. "Right now it is 4:17 MT [morntime] and you are listening to The Rose Garden, nothing but soothing Elven melodies to carry you through the day, and the night. Up next, after a word from our benefactors, a special treat for you all: a never before played composition from Tanglewood's own Etaeli. Stay in feed." Nard listened to all music, but after tonight's debacle at Have Another he decided to keep The Rose Garden on. Etaeli was among his greatest friends. Still, even with Etaeli's beautiful spoken word prose over the harp, Nard could not shake the violent images and sounds from earlier. 'Bound in respect and fellowship.' Evidently not when ale was concerned. At this time of morning the roads were silent and abandoned. Shadow Patrolmen of small communities were used to quiet rides home. They worked in the forests and swamps in the dead of night and slept during the day. Shadows only appeared at night, which was understandable. They'd been birthed in darkness, remnants of Chaos Demon Qalech's reign of terror across the globe. After Qalech was sealed beneath the stormy seas it left behind not only a ruined world, but the Shadows, malicious fog from which twisted creatures emerged. 1,570 years later, Shadows remained a persistent problem. Thus, every city and town had its own designated Shadow Patrol, armed men and women separate from the City Guard who hunted and killed what the Shadows spat out. The Shadows themselves were unkillable. Many had tried, but Shadows always reformed despite the greatest efforts. Nard's thoughts drifted to Ocolla. Stunning Ocolla with her shoulder-length dark hair and slender figure, delightful breasts only large enough to cup his palms around, downstairs grooming... His foot slammed the brake pedal. The boosters squealed in protest; steam rose on all sides of the hatch. He'd spotted a blue flicker in the forest. Deer were a nuisance on Tanglewood's back roads, but Shadowspawn were especially bad. Take No Chances. Leave No Risk Unchecked. That was a red-lettered line in the Shadow Patrol Code. From the storebox that divided the seat Nard retrieved his issued Stinger, an energy firearm. Gunpowder is still used in Fenza, but Stingers and their larger rifle counterparts Kickers are standard weaponry amongst the Shadow Patrol, as Shadowspawn fall easier to energy blasts. Nard drifted the pod toward the roadside and stopped the engine. The pod hissed once again and kissed the ground. He hopped out and covered all sides and points of the triangle, pointing his Stinger in all directions. It appeared to be his imagination. Perhaps I've had a little too much to drink myself, he thought. It was possible; his tolerance for ale was less than impressive, though he'd only had one mug before the commotion. Satisfied, Nard returned to his pod. **** Nard's house was a modest one-story affair in a western Tanglewood neighborhood. The entire residential block was owned by the same leasing company, and the rent was fair. The lot had no driveway or podshed. Nard's vehicle rested on the lawn. Four steps took him to a landing that ended at the front door. Having no room in his budget for a cleaner, Nard tried his best to keep the place spotless, though he'd been lethargic about dusting until her. Shadow Academy training was rigorous and the job required that Nard stay in top physical shape. Shadowspawn that weren't strong were still quick; endurance and agility were essential. Each house on the block had two bedrooms, a toilet room, a living area, and sparespace. Nard had devoted his sparespace to an at-home gym. In his bedroom he stripped out of his armor. His body was well-defined, abs and pectorals chiseled to brave danger. He grabbed a bottle off his nightstand, and with a swallow of water, downed two small pills. These were 'nullifiers,' a natural Elven supplement. They rendered sperm ineffective for up to three days. Many companies had thrown generic brands on the market, but only nullifiers straight from Elven chem houses had been proven absolutely effective, almost instant, and risk-free. Three knocks on the wall alerted Nard to Ocolla, who stood in the door frame. She still wore her SP armor, leggings and boots. Her black hair was tied, a standard requirement when there were hanging branches to avoid. Nard got hard at the sight of her. "That was some fight tonight, wasn't it?" she commented. Nard shook his head. "It was a shame. A damned shame. But I'm curious about the ride." Ocolla scoffed. "It was a zoo. I put the drunken idiots in the backseat to begin with, but less than a mile later they were at each other's throats. I was forced to pull over and separate them. I let Vae sit up front with me because he's the more tolerable of the two. Ulily whined about Vae getting front seat privileges over a Commander, but I ignored him. My patience was thinned when they got pervy." Nard's brow furrowed in anger. "Pervy?" "Yes," Ocolla acknowledged with disgust. "Vae offered coin to see my tits. Ulily upped his price, Vae followed suit, and soon my pod was a back-and-forth drunken and bellowing auction house until I pulled over and stated that nobody would see my tits tonight, not for enough coin to buy Queen's Isle. That shut them up well and good. For the rest of the way I had my transmodule volume cranked loud enough to deafen us all." "The bastards," Nard hissed. "I should speak with Chief Zy tomorrow!" "Ignore it," Ocolla said. "They're decent when they're not drunk." "But they sexually harassed you!" Ocolla got close enough for Nard to smell her odor deterrent. His erection swelled and lengthened to its full seven inches, throbbing beneath his leggings. "And I lived," she spoke softly. "I can look after myself, Nard. A woman of the Shadow Patrol trains just as hard as the men do." She kissed Nard lightly on the cheek, fully awakening his drive, putting away his outrage over the pod story. "There is...one other concern that I have," Nard said seductively. Ocolla leered hungrily. "What would that be?" "You said nobody would be seeing your tits tonight. Nobody. Hm. That bothers me." Ocolla untied her dark hair; the smooth mane spilled onto both shoulders. She kissed Nard's lips with raw passion. She shoved him backwards onto his bed and leaped on him. He desired a glimpse of the delectable treats lying under her SP armor, those tits and that slit that were just out of reach. "You see?" Ocolla whispered huskily. "Fully capable. Even a strong man like you falls if I push him hard enough." She ran her hands down his muscled body. The journey went slowly, teasingly southward until Ocolla cupped the thickened cock under Nard's leggings. "Someone else was expecting company," the raven-haired beauty noted. She started undoing Nard's button and zipper. Her work went at an agonizing pace. Nard trembled in anticipation. Ocolla gazed into Nard's eyes. Her alluring stare didn't waver even as she pulled his cock from its silk undershorts. Her mouth fell on him. Of the few women Nard had bedded Ocolla's sucking was uncontested. She bobbed up and down, kissed and licked the sides of his shaft, and lapped the deluded cum that escaped his tip. She stopped, smiled, licked her lips. She engulfed his entire length. She showed no sign of discomfort as Nard slid down her throat as easily as air. And then, the final touch, the move that threatened to release his load before it was due. Ocolla's tongue, with its shimmering barb, snaked out and swept over his sac. With her mouth, her sweeping tongue, and her stare, Nard almost came. Ocolla plopped the petrified dick from her mouth. It was soaked in a mixture of her saliva and Nard's pre-cum. Nard breathed heavily as Ocolla traveled up his body. "What do you want?" Ocolla whispered in Nard's ear. His hard-on crushed under her leg as she shifted about, sending currents of pleasure through his body. "You," Nard gasped. "Let me see. Please." Ocolla sat in a mounting position. "This is your wish for the jann?" "Yes," Nard said weakly. "That might be a difficult wish, Nard." Nard was lost in pleasure, his mind on a plane where he only possessed the most rudimentary sense of comprehension. "Why?" "Because I'm very tired." She dropped onto her back, her black hair splayed out on the comforter, cheeks flushed. "I think you should remove everything for me." Testosterone blaring, he sucked an earlobe, her ultimate weakness. He ran his hands where her small breasts should be. SP standard armor was mostly tough padded material, but the chest was covered by a metal plate. It allowed light movement despite the deceptively heavy appearance. It was so formidable that Nard felt not a hint of those desired treats beneath it. The top half opened down the middle. With little patience, Nard started at the top and worked his way to the bottom, where the suit met a large belt. The suit unfastened and the belt undone, he pried the armor apart, revealing Ocolla's bra-clad mounds. Her naval was pierced, a diamond situated in the center of an abdomen built up from training. There was a freckle south of her left breast. Ocolla sat up slightly to work the vest over her arms. Then Nard planted light kisses down her stomach. The leggings were of the same padding. Nard extracted her boots and socks. Unlike the armor the leggings were difficult to remove without effort, so Ocolla assisted him. Now the half-naked figure beneath him rose and fell with quickening respiration. A damp spot formed on her white underwear. Hard nipples poked against the purple bra. These encounters varied in speed and pace. This morning was not one for wasting time. His mouth ravaged hers. Their lips danced a sloppy, primal, animalisitc tangle of want and desperation, tongues fighting and struggling. Nard slipped a hand under Ocolla's soaked panties. He brushed the fine pubic strip that led to her slit. Ocolla bucked and moaned as Nard's furious stroking of her cunt brought her to a climax. He whisked away her bra and underwear. Her breasts were humble protrusions but shapely, youthful and sensitive to touch. Two rose-tinted, coin-sized areolae surrounded pointed tips. Save for the thin patch, her pussy was shaved bare. Pink lips neatly folded into the likeness of a flower, accented by a small clitoral bud. It glistened with sticky juices. Ocolla was very orgasmic, to the touch in some instances. She had one when Nard kissed her freckle, and another when his purple head contacted her twat. Her rubbed up and down against her moistened lips as they continued kissing. "Shove it in me," she rasped through gritted teeth. "Violate me." Nard found the slick embrace of her hole. He briefly penetrated her with a few inches, and then with a hearty push, shoved the rest of himself in. His strokes were fast, rhythmic and unrelenting. Ocolla writhed, grimaced and groaned as Nard unleashed his full potential. Her muscle squeezed and stroked. Its grip became unforgiving when another orgasm tore through Ocolla. Her scream risked alerting Nard's close-knit neighbors. Ocolla steadily returned from blissful heaven, her breathing slowing, sweat drenching her body. Then she shoved Nard off to straddle him. Her smooth legs on either side, she grabbed hold of his throbbing cock and guided it back in place, impaling herself down its entire length. Nard watched the woman dance with grinding, rotating hips. He raised his pelvis in tune with her movements, and soon their stimulation was synergized. The ferocity of their sex never wavered. Ocolla's tight cunt brought on an all-too-familiar rise, and Nard thankful he'd taken the nullifers. There were only two places Ocolla ever wanted a deposit. "I'm close," Nard uttered hoarsely as the moved him toward the end. "Where?" "Nullifers?" Ocolla panted. "Y-yes!" "Inside me! Do it inside me!" Fenza: She of the Forest Nard's climax built and built until he could hold back no longer. He drowned in pure pleasure. Basked in his glory, he didn't hear Ocolla cry out as she shared a final orgasm with him. He was unaware of the hot semen spurting from his tip, coating her womb. She collapsed on him in a tangle of sweat, They held each other as they found their escaped breath. The sheets were in ruins, the air filled with Ocolla's scent. Cum drizzling from Nard, mixing with the wet spot Ocolla had made on the comforter. They kissed and Nard played with Ocolla's sweaty dark hair. It eroded as Nard started drifted into to a peaceful sleep. "Shit!" he heard Ocolla exclaim. She was dressing. "What's wrong?" Nard asked. "It's dawn already," Ocolla replied. "Night comes early for us." Nard looked out his bedroom window. The eastern sky was a deep violet. "Hold on," Nard said. "Maybe you could sleep here for a few hours?" "Afraid not," Ocolla declined, now back in her boots, armor and leggings. "Breakfast, then? I restocked the preserver the other day." Ocolla turned down that offer as well. She kissed him with a fleeting peck. "See you tonight." She left his bedroom. "Ocolla..." The door closed. Nard sighed. It was always the same with her: passionate post-patrol sex but then retreat at any hint of sunlight. This time of day was equivalent to the sun's waning in any other profession. There was no need for such a hasty exit. Before he could reflect upon his situation with Ocolla, he fell asleep amidst their sexual aftermath. A few hours later, he awakened from a dream he couldn't quite remember, with the exception of one detail. That flicker of light he'd seen. It had a woman's shape. **** The sheets were in the cleanser, a small breakfast was in his belly and he was freshly sanitized. As morning lengthened into day, Nard drove his pod back to the same spot where he'd slammed the brake. He would take one curious stroll, he decided, before returning. By then the sheets would be washed and dried for a proper Mate's rest. He would take his Stinger as a precautionary measure. Nard expected to find nothing. More than anything this was a distraction from his nagging thoughts about Ocolla. 'Friends Impassioned,' was the common phrase. Nard and Ocolla had been Mates since Nard joined the Tanglewood Shadow Patrol at age 21, though their intimacy started only a year ago. Nard hoped to take their relationship beyond Friends Impassioned, though Ocolla was always in a hurry, turning down offerings for breakfasts or post-patrol dinners, needing to be somewhere, for some purpose. She wasn't married, nor in a more serious relationship with another man. Nard exited his pod with his Stinger holstered. He crossed a shallow ditch. The woods were open but not well-traveled. Few had ventured in enough to create a trail. The treetops blocked out much of the sunlight. It was a cold morning, a product of the season as well as Tanglewood's location. A leather jacket and thermal shirt served as protection against the elements, though the wind nipped at Nard's reddening cheeks. He braved brush and limbs. Woodland critters chirped songs and glowflies fluttered about as orange sparks. Something was different about this place. It was enchanting, otherworldly. Nard almost expected to see the fairies of old, tiny humanoid women who'd kept to the air with beating wings. He felt movement, and in a flash had his Stinger out and pointed. But there was nothing but the continuing dance of the glowflies and melodies of the forest's inhabitants. Still, Nard kept the Stinger at the ready. He walked a short distance and then spun at the feeling of more movement. He grew frightened. Narangorn played such stealthy games. Nard considered retreating back to his pod. He looked behind him and ahead. He was so startled by a sudden presence that he almost fired his Stinger. To his utter shock, he was aiming at a woman's face. "And who trudges the forest at this place and hour?" she asked with deep suspicion. Nard holstered his weapon. But if the random sighting of a woman was not enough of a surprise, this one was also quite beautiful. Beautiful and completely naked. For a woman to be nude in the middle of this freezing forest meant ill tidings. But who could have done such a thing? It would be idiotic for violent criminals to hide so close to potential Shadowspawn. "Ma'am? A-are you alright!?" Nard asked, worried for her. The blonde stranger stared cautiously. Nard placed his Stinger on the ground and stepped back a few paces. "Ma'am, I apologize for the scare, but please listen. I-I am a Mate of the Shadow Patrol. If you've been harmed I can transmod a hospital." "Harmed? Whatever do you mean?" "The City Guard, perhaps?" Nard continued. "Ma'am, everything will be fine. I don't have to know the details. I can transmod them right now." The woman smiled; it was the warmest and prettiest smile Nard had seen in all his 24 years. "I understand. But you've no need to summon help. No harm has befallen me, stranger. Why would you assume so?" The response baffled Nard. "Well, if you'll pardon the...I-I thought...apologies ma'am, but I assumed so...b-because you are...naked." "A kind heart," the woman responded. "And ever vigilant. I like that. But this is as I always am, stranger." "Naked, you mean?" "Why, yes," she clarified, as if it meant nothing. Nard supposed being here didn't violate any public indecency laws, though there was still the matter of the chilled air. "B-but you aren't...cold? We're in northeast Corina and it's barely morning." "Only your kind worry of such matters," she said. "It has no effect upon me." Your... "'My kind?' I'm human, like you." "Am I?" the woman wondered with merriment. "I-I would assume so." She took in a heavy breath. "You smell of a recent copulation." To be 'taken aback' would put it mildly. "P-pardon?" "A woman has left her feminine scent upon you," she very casually explained. "Mightily aroused, was this one." Nard felt uncomfortable. "T-that's enough." The woman chuckled. "You blush! Take no offense, man of authority. I was merely complementing your...obvious prowess." "I..." Speaking of sexual matters, the woman's nakedness was enticing. She was tall, with honey-blonde hair so long the wind wrapped it about her waist. Her breasts were plump, more bountiful than Ocolla's. Each ended with a slightly raised tip, small peas at their centers. But what struck Nard beyond anything were her eyes. Big and blue, they had an exotic quality to them that spoke of both innocence and carnal hunger. They evened out her pretty nose and mouth. Nard hoped this woman couldn't his the risen bulge. "From what faction did you say you hail?" the woman asked. Faction? "The Shadow Patrol," Nard answered. Despite his best efforts his gaze wandered. Not a hint of hair was on her arms or legs, and this was also true of her bare pubic region. The lips between her legs were a closed line, that hid her clit. "Shadow Patrol! Quite serious! I am partial to men of authority." Broken from his trance, Nard smiled sheepishly. "I-I'm hardly that. The City Guard's more important than me. I'm just a demon hunter." He scratched his neck. "But Shadows are of a much greater threat than common criminals, no?" The woman's blue eyes sent growing desires to Nard's loins. His engorged dick throbbed. This was a bizarre situation, however, and Nard was not one to drop his inhibitions and screw in the wilderness, though were he of lesser will he just may. "I have to go," Nard said quickly. He retrieved and holstered his Stinger. "Are you sure you don't need assistance, ma'am?" "Leaving so soon?" the woman asked with a hint of sadness. "Well, yes. Shadow Patrolmen sleep during the day, you see. Our work lasts us from dusk to pre-dawn hours." He turned and walked away. "I would hope to see you again sooner than later, stranger," the woman called from behind him. Nard staggered through the woods, sporting a raging hard-on and a spot of stickiness in his underwear. He couldn't resist a final look. The naked woman was gone. When he reached his pod he fired it up and drove home, half-convinced this was all a dream. A nude lady in the forest. Perhaps she had been assaulted and the trauma had shattered her mind. But what of her vanishing act? Shadow Patrolmen had their eyes sharpened for trouble. She couldn't have escaped him. Perhaps she was a succubus, but that was less likely. Succubi only visited men in their beds at night, and their sort were long absent from this world. These thoughts and speculations remained with Nard when he fell upon his fresh linens to sleep the day away. Sleep was as fitful as before. The blonde woman filled his dreams. She laughed while she flaunted her squeezable breasts and her shorn nether lips until Nard awoke in a deep sweat a short time later. **** Three raps with the ornate doorknocker inspired an approaching, merry sounding song. Nard stood on a stoop that was surrounded by a blanket of colorful flowers, stretching out to Etaeli's high wooden fence. Dividing the garden was a paved driveway that had, on its tail-end, a parking area large enough for three pods. The lock unlatched. The door opened. Etaeli smiled despite his surprise. "Nard, old friend! Well, this is certainly unexpected. Isn't this normally bedhour for you?" Nard half-smiled in return. "Normally. But I have to talk to you." "Hm, well come in." Nard followed Etaeli inside. The Elf was dressed in a shimmering robe, made of a special fabric that sparkled when it caught the sun's rays. For bottoms he wore tan colored breeches. His feet were bare. His silvery hair was tied in a ponytail, a style which accented his pointy ears. In contrast to Nard's home Etaeli's was cluttered, but understandably so. Etaeli was an Elf obsessed with his work to the point of impressiveness or worry. As his job was composing and selling songs and poems, he spent his waking hours scribbling ideas in his strewn about notebooks. The front door opened into the living area, where the floor was littered and bookshelves dominated the walls. "I was just working on a new composition," Etaeli said as he sat on the couch, "though my muse is lax this noon, I would say." He gestured. "Sit. Please." Nard did so. Etaeli raised a glass of red liquid. "Kwaid wine?" Etaeli offered. "I just squeezed a batch, fresh from the garden." "Please," Nard responded. Kwaid 'wine' is not alcoholic. It is squeezed from large red 'kwaid fruits,' a staple of many gardens. One squeezes the juice into a pitcher, mixes it with water and lets it cool in a preserver. Etaeli went to his kitchen, visible from the living room. "Rhetorical question, perhaps. No one in this town makes better kwaid wine than myself." He poured Nard a glass and brought it to him. "I've even considered selling my kwaid fruit for secondary income." Nard took a drink of the sugary liquid. "I've never tasted better." "Indeed not," Etaeli agreed, "but let us talk of this urgent matter." "I went in the woods this morn," Nard began. "After patrol. I had seen something suspicious on the way home. So I returned to the same spot and walked into the forest. I ran into...a woman." Behind Etaeli's raised glass was a grin. "Finally moved on from your Shadow Patrol Mate, then?" "No, this was different. She was..." He cleared his throat. "...nude." Etaeli was intrigued. "Nude, you say?" "Yes, completely," Nard clarified. "I thought she'd been assaulted so I offered to call for help. She insisted she was alright. A-and there was something else. She kept referring to 'my kind.' As if she wasn't human." Concern crossed Etaeli's features. "And you met this woman in Tanglewood, correct?" "Yes. Why? Do you know something?" "Perhaps I do. But can you provide any other details?" "She was beautiful," Nard recalled. "Stunningly beautiful. She spoke Standard, and very eloquently. When I started walking back, I turned around and she was gone." "Wow," Etaeli whispered in bemusement. "In Tanglewood, of all places. I thought they were long since driven from this plane." The Elf's response alerted Nard. "What is it, Etaeli?" "Nard, my friend...you may have met a nymph." Nard raised an eyebrow. "A...what?" Etaeli got up to visit his bookshelf. "They're part of an ancient Elven legend..." He browsed his large collection for the right tome. "...very ancient, going back before humankind was even brought to Fenza." Etaeli returned to his seat and flipped through the book. "Whenever nature was in perfect harmony, free of corruption, bloodshed and darkness, the forces would align to weave an image of perfect beauty." He found the sought page. "Ah. Here. Wow, this would predate even the coming of demons. 'One could only get close enough to watch them frolic and play in the forests. To approach would be foolhardy. So beautiful were they that a single glimpse of them would risk one falling madly in love. A depressing notion, for if one pursued the nymphs he would be duly punished.'" Etaeli put the book on the coffee table. Nard leaned over to see. There was an inked sketch of a beautiful naked woman. Unlike the one Nard had seen, this one had Elven ears. "You see, these creations were also the undisputed guardians of their territories," Etaeli went on. "They wielded all the merciful and terrible power of nature and were masters of the elements. Those who journeyed into their forests or waters had best carry hearts of air with them, for these nymphs trusted very few." "You're using the past tense," Nard noted. "I am. The legends go on to say that when Qalech tainted the world, the Shadows disrupted nature's harmony and tore the nymphs from their dwellings." He paused, and then continued. "The Shadows are as prevalent in Tanglewood as anywhere else in the world. The fact that a nymph exists under such conditions...frankly it astounds me. There must be something very special about that place. Any smidgen of Shadow and your nymph would not be there." "We've never patrolled there," Nard stated. "Never?" Etaeli asked. "Not in the three years since I graduated the Shadow Academy." "That is quite telling." His tone became somber. "Nard, I must relay upon you a sobering point. Were you to fall for this nymph, and that it is a strong possibility, you must understand that she cannot leave that area. When the nymphs of old were forced from their forests by the Shadows, as I stated, they died. So, too, would she. Unless you plan to move into the woodlands in a way that does not disturb the balance, you cannot have a relationship with this nymph." Nard finished the last of his kwaid wine. "I hadn't planned on it." Etaeli finished his as well. "You say that now, and I trust your judgment in most matters. But a nymph is a force beyond what you have come to understand." Nard weighed his Elven friend's words. The Elf rotated and studied his empty glass. "Something else about your account was telling as well. As I said, nymphs are very protective of their territories. Very few sentients are allowed to get within viewing distance. For you to have gotten so close without either scaring the nymph away or feeling her wrath says something about you." "What's that?" Nard was desperate to know. Etaeli's worried face broke into a warm smile. "It says that you have a heart clearer and cleaner than still water. This figure glimpsed it in your soul." "I doubt I'm that pure," Nard gently argued. "For a nymph to carry on a conversation with you, dear Nard, indicates the highest purity. It warms my heart but it is troubling." "Troubling how?" Etaeli's eyes opened to wide saucers. "Because in all likelihood this nymph favors you. And if that is so, what will you do then, Nard? How will you proceed?" **** Stingers and Kickers were equipped with silencers. This was an absolute necessity amongst the Shadow Patrol, as Shadowspawn were sensitive to sound. Not only did the silencers muffle the firing mechanisms, they quieted the energy projectiles whenever they collided with objects. Tonight the forest was filled with clicks and the screams of dying or attacking 'Hangers,' Shadowspawn which resembled hairless, decaying monkeys. They were agile terrors and tagging one required a good shot. They favored moving rather than attacking, but had a nasty habit of sinking their claws into deep flesh. Were they determined, not even SP armor kept them out. Then there were the Jelrins, floating blobs of translucent purple abominations. They had to be fired upon in rapid succession, deluded to nothing, lest they instantly regenerate themselves. To deal with the Jelrins a section of Kicker-wielding Mates had been split from the main squad. A Hanger hissed; Nard aimed and fired, no time to plan. The yellow orb broke against a tree and the Hanger went leaping to another branch. Nard ignored it to focus on another as it sailed through the air for a facial attack. This time he caught the Hanger mid-leap. It screamed and vanished in a puff of black smoke. Two Jelrins approached from the east. Ulily commanded the energy riflemen to fire upon one and then the other. When they'd diminished the first, the Mates had fallen back so the second wouldn't overtake them. Ocolla took three Hangers that lurked in the treetops. Pre missed one and cursed. In his anger he dispatched two others. The Jelrins seemed to be gone for the night. The Kicker squad merged with the main one. Ulily noticed the abundance of Hangers that had joined the festivities. "Alright, friends. I want two teams, evened out. Divide up and conquer. Stingers only." The clicks went wild. The air lit up. Hangers fell and faded before they hit the ground. A small army rushed in from the east, which Nard's team was covering. Hangers were easier to dispatch from the ground. Somewhere during the assault, Nard's ears alerted him. Ocolla's Stinger no longer clicked. A Hanger was upon her. She had no time to react. "Ocolla!" Nard yelled. He tackled her; the Hanger missed. The two Mates fell in the dirt together. Nard turned his body and fired at a closing monstrosity and then separated from Ocolla. "Are you alright?" "Nard, behind you!" she yelled. Terrible pain erupted from Nard's side. "Son of a thousand whoring men!" Pre exclaimed after neutralizing the Hanger. "Man fallen here!" Nard's eyes were closed. Warm fluid poured over his fingers where he clutched the wound. "Someone transmod a medic!" he heard Vae demand. The clicking continued. "I...I'll be fine," Nard wheezed. "Not with a wound like that!" Ocolla said through the blackness. "HQ, this is Mate Vae. We've a man injured. Mate Nard, ma'am. Yes. No. But hurry." **** A Hanger's claw could also be poisonous, and unfortunately Nard had been attacked by a venomous Type B. At the medical center he was prescribed an antidote that had a debilitating side-effect. He spent the rest of the night and the next afternoon in a state of delirium. When Nard regained his senses it was night and he was in a hospital bed. He was clad in a loose-fitting hospital gown. Thick bandages were on his abdomen. "He's come to. Get the medic," a male voice said. Etaeli approached Nard's bedside. "Don't fidget," the Elf said gently. "You are likely still dizzy from the counter-venom." Fenza: She of the Forest Pre returned to the room with a doctor at his side. "A doctor and some water for the hero." Nard sipped the water as the doctor checked his vitals. "Hero..." "That was some swift diving, pushing Ocolla out of the way like that," Pre complimented. "Is she...?" "She was here earlier, but you were beyond reach," Etaeli answered. "You were thrashing in your sleep, speaking a name no one, neither she nor I, recognized." Etaeli gave him a look that Nard caught but didn't understand. The doctor put away his flashlight. "Alright. It looks as if all signs of poison have receded." Nard nodded. "Good. I should...return..." "For procedural purposes, we're keeping you here another day," the doctor said plainly. "But you just said the poison was gone," Nard protested. "Etaeli, didn't he say the poison was gone?" "He did, but songwriting is my only proficiency, I'm afraid. Best to do as the doctor says, friend." "We'll keep the monsters at bay while you rest," Pre said. "Speaking of which, my hour's leave is up. Gotta return to the grind." He shook Nard's hand and departed. The doctor followed but turned before he left. "We'll bring you a meal. Please try to get some sleep after you've eaten." Nard smiled as best he could. "But I've been asleep an entire day." Etaeli grinned. "You would be on the hunt at this very moment, were you able. You have quite the spirit. I could write a song about it." The Elf got more serious. "Does the name 'Fien' mean anything to you?" "No," Nard replied. "Was that who I was calling for in my sleep?" "It was," Etaeli acknowledged. "But you have never heard it?" "Never," Nard insisted. Etaeli walked over to a table in the room. Lying on it was the same book he'd browsed a few days ago. He sat in a chair. "I suppose it could be a product of the counter-venom's effects. However..." He turned to a page he'd marked. And read. "'Those who encountered the nymph were said to have her name upon their lips, regardless of whether or not the nymph had bestowed upon them such a privilege. However, such knowledge was buried in the deep recesses of one's mind and only revealed in certain states of consciousness.'" Etaeli closed the book. "Back in the Before Period, when magic was our primary tool for everything, we often evoked dreamwalking and soul-searching spells. It was then the Elves would speak the names of these nymphs they had met. I would not be surprised if 'Fien' was yours." "Maybe," Nard said. Despite the entire day's sleep he was feeling tired again. Etaeli picked up his book and stood. "Perhaps you should ask her." He walked to the door and stopped. "Or perhaps not. Now that I am assured you are safe, I suppose I'll go home." "Goodbye, Etaeli," Nard said. The next thing he remembered was being pried awake so he could eat. **** Pre and Legi brought Nard's pod, which is possible through a substitute thumbprint called a 'bypass key.' Nard was given word that the Chief had granted him another night's leave. When he started the pod's engine and the coolants blasted air on him, he felt as if a total of two days in the hospital equaled years of absence. Ocolla had not visited again. He supposed she'd been sleeping for the night's patrol. Nard wondered if perhaps she would be waiting for him at home. He pictured her underneath his covers, waiting to surprise him with an alluring outfit. The thought intrigued him and he increased the pod's speed a little. But after several moments Nard realized he was driving toward the forest—her forest. He soon landed his pod on the grass. He took his Stinger from the storebox (Take No Chances) then left his pod. There was a trail this time. Nard noted that the trees were parted far enough apart that they created a navigable pathway. Their tops were entwined, forming a tunnel of sorts. Glowflies in the hundreds illuminated this passage. Their numbers had the effect of full moonlight or early dawn. Etaeli once said that glowflies were departed souls whose tragic deaths had kept them from ascending to the Beyond, and that being able to co-exist with nature's beauty was their own Heaven. The tunnel continued for five minutes pace until it ended at a large clearing where stars peppered the sky. Everywhere else was freezing cold, but this spot was warm as a summer clime. Nard studied his surroundings. The clearing was quite spacious, and the trees formed a wall suitable for a fortress. He set down his Stinger. He took a lungful of air. "Fien." A warm hand touched his shoulder. He slowly turned toward the nymph. The glowflies gave her naked body a bright aura. Her smile made the shape of her eyes deviant. "You have returned, Sir Nard." "You know my name?" he asked. "And you know mine." "I was bedridden with an injury," Nard explained. "My friend, he...said I called your name out when I was under the counter-venom." "Oh, my poor Nard!" Fien sincerely expressed. "You were wounded...here." Two glowing fingers tapped Nard's bandages. He jumped in surprise. Fien smiled again. "A Shadowspawn's mark is a vicious thing. But your resilience is commendable, Sir Nard. As is your heroism." "Heroism?" "You pushed away your Shadow Patrol Mate in order to save her," Fien recalled. Nard was shocked and amazed. "H-how did you know that?" "Your Elven friend would know," Fien said. She gestured around her. "We are not allowed to leave our realms. But the trees, Nard. They are silent watchers. Their roots interconnect in the same manner as your informational machines, and they whisper all of the world's knowledge into our ears." She turned to the baffled Nard. "I am aware of all there is. Of all your songs, your films, your technologies. I know the names of your friends. And yes, I know Ocolla, whom you saved from danger. I asked the trees of your upbringing and your past. From further south came that information. One who lives and thrives in the woods, as I do, can learn much." "I imagine you don't get bored easily then," Nard commented after overcoming his bafflement. "You speak true. Upon my request the trees tell me stories. Stories of heroes and villains, past and present deeds good and ill." "Do you have to eat? Or sleep, drink, those sorts of things?" Nard asked. "No," Fien answered. "Nature itself replenishes me." Nard was astounded. But it was bewilderment mixed with lust. His attention wandered to those soft, youthful breasts and that hairless twat. The glowflies enhanced her every feature. "You are...astoundingly beautiful," Nard said despite his better judgment. Fien smiled. "And you, sir, are an art rarely seen." He wanted to kiss her. He wondered how those lips tasted, about sucking those rounded cones on her tits. He closed their distance. She didn't resist. Bees buzzed in his head as their lips touched. They broke and stared into each other's eyes. "Sir Nard?" she whispered. "Yes?" "The trees tell me...your Ocolla waits for you at home." Nard peered at the forest floor, conflicted over what to do. He was inches away from Fien. Her aroma was a mixture of pine and air after a storm. In his mind he knew he could have her. On the other hand, Etaeli had said that nymphs were beyond comprehension. What would happen if Nard took Fien? Was it a love-inducing copulation? Would his heart, mind and soul belong to her? Beyond that, her entire world was this forest. His was Tanglewood and all that surrounded it. Further still was Ocolla, and the possibility of a future together. Unless you plan to move into the woodlands in a way that does not disturb the balance, you cannot have a relationship with this nymph. "I guess I should go," Nard said regretfully. "Fien...please understand. I mean no offense." "And I take none," Fien said warmly. "You are wise not to keep your woman waiting." Nard started to leave. "Sir Nard?" He turned. Fien held out his Stinger. "You forgot this. You needn't bring arms into my realm next time. I assure you, you are safe here." Nard took it back. He walked the makeshift tunnel back to his pod, and with reservations, drove away. You are wise not to keep your woman waiting. "Except she's not my woman," he said out loud. **** There were no pods on the lawn. Nard briefly questioned Fien's sources until he ascended the steps and found the front door unlocked. Ocolla knew where the spare key was. In the kitchen he found two nullifiers beside a glass of ice water. He quickly downed them. A faint hiss was coming from the toilet room. The sanitizer was running. Nard opened the toilet room, where the light was already on. Sitting on the porcelain lid in all her nude glory was Ocolla. From this angle her breasts appeared larger; her nipples were tiny spikes. "I've been waiting for you," Ocolla spoke over the sanitizer. "I haven't given you a proper thank you." "I-it,was nothing," Nard stammered as he examined her alluring body. She stood, exposing a puffy, swollen and dampened slit. Her dark strip was matted down. "I hope you don't mind, but I...warmed up a bit," Ocolla confessed. She threw her arms around Nard's neck. "Of course, I don't think that bothers you." She raised her closed middle and index fingers to Nard's lips. He sucked her fingertips, tasting her sweet nectar. Indeed, she had 'warmed up' considerably in his absence. They kissed, and if there was any trace of Fien on his mouth Ocolla didn't say. Their tongues massaged each other as Nard worked to remove the clothes he'd worn home. With his free hand he slid two fingers inside. She moaned and squeezed his ass. Their kissing heated to an oven roast. His pants and underwear hit the floor. He threw his shirt in the sink. Now void of clothing himself, he groaned as Ocolla squeezed his cock, which had been hard ever since he left the forest. "I'm very filthy after tonight's patrol," Ocolla cooed as she stroked him. "I was about to step into the sanitizer." "I'm really dirty too," Nard whispered. Ocolla pressed her nose to his shoulder and breathed him in. "Mmm, hardly. This is a nice scent. Like pine needles and fresh storm air." Nard felt a twinge of guilt at the notion, but nevertheless followed Ocolla into the sanitizer. Sanitizers work by converting special capsules into cleansing mists, which are formulated so as not to sting the eyes. There are two types of capsules, for the body and the hair. One can utilize both. Nard stepped into the fog with Ocolla and closed the glass door. In an instant they melted into a furious tangle. He rubbed her back; she grabbed his cock, already at full mast. "So hard," she groaned. "You're really worked up, aren't you?" "I...!" She squeezed harder and stroked up and down the length. He hissed and moaned. Ocolla continued her stroking motion with gritted teeth. "Cooped up in that hospital room. Begging for release. Your spunk built up so much it's about to overflow." "Yes, yes!" Nard exclaimed. White spittle formed at his tip. Ocolla tested its texture on her fingers before licking it off. Then she knelt, wrapping her lips around Nard's purple glans for a light suckle. She stood again. "I was right. That overstock must hurt! I'll have to be your doctor in this case." The sanitizer still poured its mist when Nard asked, "what's your recommendation, doctor?" "Full release," Ocolla said huskily. What that, she put her hands against the sanitizer wall and bent over, offering her distended hole to him. She pried her lips apart. Nard directing his hard, angled dick into her slicked entrance. The sensation of penetration was so strong that he nearly spent right there. But he regained control and began a slow thrust. "Gods. Gods, yes," Ocolla moaned as their bodies slapped together. "Every drop, Nard! I, want, every, drop, of, you!" "You'll get it," Nard growled. "Where?" His pace increased. He drove in deeper. Her depths gripped him in a vice. "Everywhere. Inside you. Outside you. In your hair. All over your pretty face." "Filthy animal," she gasped. "Beast! Ogre!" Ocolla's dark hair hung down her back. Sweat dripped from them both. Nard's orgasm was building. "Ocolla—" "—me too! Keep going, Nard!" The tingle was steadily rising to a promising climax. Nard thrust and thrust, determined to blast inside her. But in that moment, something strange happened. A brief flash came and went. Nard's surroundings disappeared. Instead of the sanitizer he was in the forest during daylight hours. The mist was natural fog. He smelled the foliage, heard the critters chirping and saw the glowflies. He was still thrusting into warm and wet flesh, but the person impaled on his cock wasn't Ocolla but blonde, screaming Fien with her juicy tits jiggling and her tips swollen as Nard kneaded her ass and pounded her from behind. So lucid was this vision that he was sure it was real. His sac tightened; his release was inevitable. The sanitizer returned. Nard was buried in Ocolla's mouth as she worked him like a pump. The dam burst and his orgasm raged. As jets of cream pulsed out, Ocolla swallowed every inch of him and stayed there. Her pierced tongue slinked out and massaged his scrotum. He came again. In a daze, Nard stumbled and lost his footing. Another flash; the sanitizer floor was dirt and reeds. Fien stood over him. Jizz had leaked from her mouth and onto her plumper tits. "Sir Nard! Are you—" "—okay?" Ocolla again. Semen had escaped to her humble mounds in the same manner. The orgasm had been so powerful that he needed rest. One last spurt made a small pool on the sanitizer floor. His cock was shrinking and retreating. "Just...fine," he rasped. Ocolla smiled. "Your treatment's done. Every drop, just as I recommended." "G-good..." Ocolla collected the remaining cum into her mouth. "Mm, yes. Quite a meal. I'd say you..." She stopped. Her eyes widened. Nard was confused by her random reaction until he felt a tightening. He was getting hard again. He didn't know who among them was more shocked. He stood, his stone-hard dick jutting out from him. Ocolla put a hand to her mouth. Along with his erection, every bit of Nard's eagerness had also returned. "I'm as puzzled as you," he stated. "But maybe we shouldn't waste this opportunity." Ocolla grabbed him by the hand. "No, we shouldn't." They raced to the bedroom. In their haste Nard forgot to turn off the sanitizer. Its hiss continued as Nard shoved Ocolla's naked body onto the bed and took her that way. He pounded away, a new appetite for her within him. The flashes kept happening. She was Fien, then Ocolla, and then Fien again. The bed was a sheeted mattress and then dirt and twigs. It continued that way well into dawn, when he erupted within her. Within them. That marked the last drop. **** Ocolla actually stayed this time. They cuddled for a few restful hours and when they awoke Nard fixed her breakfast. After a year of being Friends Impassioned, was it finally happening? Whatever this was, the feeling was bittersweet. Nard could never bring himself to tell Ocolla about those fleeting forest teleportations. Part of him argued that it had been a product of his overactive imagination, but that was a small part. With every one of his senses as vibrant and alive as it they had been in those visions, this went beyond a mental matter. Nard hadn't mentioned Fien to Ocolla, nor would he. His heart and loins ached for the nymph, but if he was winning Ocolla, he no intention of returning to Fien. They spent their day's rest in Nard's bed. Every now and then they would awaken to make small talk before falling asleep again. During one of these moments, Ocolla said, "I noticed something strange in the sanitizer." "You mean other than my magic wand?" Nard responded with a smile. "Your wound," Ocolla pointed out. "There was no scarring. Nothing." Nard recalled Fien's glowing fingers. "I guess it wasn't that bad." They awoke at dusk. Nard followed Ocolla home and ate with her before they both dressed for work. Headquarters consisted of one large room with a few small offices. The main chamber had tables at random intervals, each with a gridded display on top. Satellite feeds broadcast locations, lengths and densities of Shadows. It was at these tables that the Shadow Patrol's four quadrants—the Western, Eastern, Northern and Southern Wingspans—would gather. Nard was in good spirits upon arrival. The day he'd spent with Ocolla had alleviated most of his guilt. Yes, a trick of the mind. He'd defeated that dissenting side of himself. When he saw Chief Zy standing at the entrance, Nard knew something was different. "Good evening, Mate Nard," he greeted. "I need to see you in my office." Nard and Ocolla exchanged a confused look. Nard followed the Chief. He didn't think he was in any kind of trouble, but there was no telling. Nard sat in a seat opposite the Chief, a burly aging man with a thick gray beard that covered much of his uniform. "Yes, sir?" "Nard, I'll get right to it," Zy said. "A lot's happened since you were hospitalized, and I have some news for you. Ulily has been relieved of duty." Nard was shocked. "Pardon?" "He was a nuisance," Chief Zy clarified. "You and the others are all too aware of his public drunkenness, I'm sure. Well, last night the City Guard was called to the Have Another alehouse to arrest Ulily and Grun, the Orcish bartender. And then there's the comments Ulily made toward the women...anyway, it was too much." Zy broke out into a smile. "You on the other hand are quite different, Nard. Therefore it is my privilege to congratulate you. I am promoting you to the rank of Commander for the Eastern Wingspan. Nard's body locked in surprise. "C-com—" "—indeed. Your on-the-field training starts at tonight's patrol. Congratulations, Commander." Nard pinched himself to see if this was all a dream. Evidently it wasn't. He was caught in a war between excitement and apprehension. He noticed that Chief Zy was intently waiting on a response. "S-sir, with all due respect...this is quite a shock." "A shock?" "I've only been out of Shadow Academy for three years, sir." Chief Zy was confused. "You have...a better suggestion, then?" "Maybe Pre? Legi? A-and Ocolla is two years my senior, sir." Chief Zy leaned back in his desk chair and scratched his chin in thought. "Nard, I've been involved with the Shadow Patrol for thirty-two years. In my experience age has little to nothing to do with good leadership. A Mate ten years running can be as green as a fresh graduate. When I make these decisions, I don't look at numbers. I look at qualities: discipline, courage, fortitude and leadership skills. I've observed you out there and heard reports of you on the field. You possess all of these qualities, Nard. Your only weakness is your inability to believe in yourself." Perhaps Chief Zy had a point. Or he could be underestimating Nard's 'greenery' as it were. The salary would be marginally better, but thought of a paycheck reminded Nard of the Shadow Patrolman's code: Not For Money. For The Greater Good. "Well, Mate Nard, it's up to you." Nard forced a smile. "Sir...I will not let you down." Chief Zy smiled himself. "I have no fear that you would, Commander." **** Ocolla was waiting outside of Chief Zy's office, anxious to hear what happened. She raised a curious eyebrow when Nard emerged beaming.