Burning metal shards rained down on the crowd. The king and Daer shifted into dragons, using their wings to shield the newly mated pair. Children's screams were lost amid the roaring of volcanoes and dragon fire. Weredragon soldiers took to the sky in droves. The huge laser sent another stream upwards, defending Talonia. Mothers transformed to cover their babies and herd them to safety.

Under the shelter of Daer and the king, Tae kissed Eveline and told her, "I have to go. You know that. My heart will remain with you." He shoved her off the platform to the ground where Michelle and Keshel stood. "Keep her safe," he asked of Michelle.

The white dragon appeared and declared, "I will protect them all. Go, Tae. I swear I will die before I let anything happen to them." Her beautiful eyes turned to Daer's, "Come back to me," was all she said. Shara enveloped the two humans and the child with one wing and used the other to gain enough altitude to fly over the other dragons on the ground. She would get them as far away from the chaos and war as she was able.

"Daer, make sure the mothers take the children to the caves behind the waterfalls. Our enemy will go after the city first. The caves will be safer," the king commanded. Daer flew off to intercept the females who were advancing toward the palace. The king soared into the sky. He needed to find the source of the problem.

Tae raced to the mine. Kelan had set off the laser, meaning there was an imminent attack from an unknown enemy. He would control the second huge laser, secretly built and hidden, if it was necessary. Something in the cloud cover had been hit, but what was it? Where was the burning metal coming from and why were there no more explosions?

Weredragons were coming back down and landing all around him. They and the ones who had remained in the form of man appeared confused. They did not know where the enemy was or how to fight what could not be found.

The city's heavily damaged monitors came to life, and the king's voice rang out over the static. "A Savra ship is fleeing from Talonia. It is moving very slowly. Kelan must have hit it a glancing blow or it would have exploded. He says that what we see falling around us are pieces of the nuclear weapon they had intended for our planet. He did not let it land but used the laser to blow it up as far from Talonia as possible. What effect the debris will have on us or our world cannot be calculated at this time. We cannot allow this to happen to us again or to any other planet. The Savra must be destroyed, wiped out of existence this time. Soldiers, say farewell to your families and board our ships. We go to war once more."

"There is no time for goodbyes," Tae told the soldiers around him. "If that ship reaches Savra to tell them of their failure or sends out a warning, they will be ready for us. We must follow now and destroy it."

A battle cry sounded, and the weredragons ran for their ships. The enemy would not reach the safety of their world.

Kelan called out from the mine, "Help me! We must load the laser onto the king's warship. He has ordered the Savra planet's complete destruction. Tae! Bring men!"

Tae gathered a group and the laser was loaded within minutes. "Are you coming with us this time?" he asked Kelan.

"I cannot. Though the nuclear weapon was destroyed many miles above Talonia, there is still going to be damage to our atmosphere. I must deploy the Earth's resolution before too much destruction is done. You and the other soldiers need a planet to return to. Our children must be protected from the fallout. You are in charge of the laser. Go quickly!"

Hesher was in command of the king's warship. He was waiting impatiently for Tae to board. The doors sealed behind Tae and the ship was flying before he made it to the command center. Smaller warships surrounded the large one. Only eight soldiers stayed behind to aid Kelan.

"We do not have time to waste. As soon as we are in range, use the laser to eliminate the Savra ship," Hesher command Tae.

"Yes, sir. What about the planet? Do I hit it when we are in range as well?"

"No. I am disobeying that order. There are females and children on that planet. We fight face to face and give them a chance to survive. I would want that for our world, so I am according them the same. If we are failing, then we will leave the planet and use the laser as a last resort," Hesher replied.

"You are a compassionate leader. However, disobedience on this occasion will bring down the king's wrath. He let us off gently last time. It will not happen again," Tae answered.

"He spoke in the heat of the moment, in fear for our world. If he was aboard and calmer, he would agree. He will be reasonable. It is my concern, not yours. We are almost in range. The Savra ship appears to be losing what little power it had. Finish it."

Tae ran below deck to engage the laser. The Savra were no longer moving, just floating in the void. One flick of a switch and they were no more. Hesher flew the Talonian ship through the debris. The way to the enemy planet was clear.

Hesher's voice came over Tae's communicator, "Stay in place. Put the laser on its lowest setting. Perhaps, we can knock out some weapons before we land. Stay clear of the city center. If this one is anything like the capital we destroyed, the females and children will be hidden there."

"What if I hit a nuclear weapon?" Tae inquired.

"I do not think they have more. Otherwise, they would not have taunted us for so long or run when they failed to destroy us. They had only one shot and were waiting for the perfect time. It never came, we attacked their world, and they retaliated without a good plan. I suppose they could have smaller ones, but not a planet destroyer. We will have to risk it. Aim carefully."

The weapons area was cold, uncomfortable, and lonely. Tae had hours to check and recheck the laser setting. After the tenth time, he could no longer keep his mind focused. It went back to Talonia and Eveline. Had Shara gotten her to safety? Was she scared or worried? What about home? Were the waterfalls still flowing with energy or had the nuclear fallout stopped the life force within them? How much worse would it have been if Talonia itself had not caused the restless urgency in its inhabitants?

Talonia had to survive. He had a mate to go home to now. Their future children should have the same peaceful beauty to grow up in as he had. Thank goodness for the king's foresight in sending Kelan to Earth. The technology he had brought back could heal what the Savra had broken.

The ship slowed, and Tae knew they had entered the Savra atmosphere. War was at hand. To lessen the loss of his comrades, he had to take out as many weapons and soldiers as he could on the way down. This time they would not hide and sneak their way in. The Savra would feel their wrath immediately. He manned the laser and began the battle. Six ships were damaged too much to fly in his first blast. The second took out four of the weapons used to send the heavy metal balls into the sky. The third knocked over an observation tower and flattened the battalion of Savra beneath it. The warship shuddered as it was hit repeatedly. Reports of minor damage were announced over the communicator. They were landing, and it was time to rejoin the ranks.

The Savra were lying in wait as the Talonians left the safety of the ships. Guns and laser blasts mixed with sand, sweat, and blood. Anger and memories of screaming weredragon children brought on the transformation, causing lasers to fall by the wayside and dragon fire to take over. The stench of burning reptiles filled the air, choking the soldiers on the ground. Mass after mass of lizard warriors joined the melee.

Tae found himself isolated from his group. He spun in circles to keep advancing enemies off his back. Where had all the Savra come from? Thousands had been destroyed during the last war and yet there seemed to be more than ever. He was bloody from superficial wounds and choking on sand and ashes. He needed to transform and rise above the chaos. He could seek out his own kind rather than fight alone. Just as his transformation began, one of the metal balls dropped near him. The ground shook violently, and he lost control of the laser. It fell from his hand, disappearing in the sandstorm. He reached for its mate, but it was missing as well, lost somewhere on the battlefield. His safety lay in the transformation. It was never completed. Bullets hit his chest, side, and leg. He fell under the feet of the enemy. Pain shot through him, and he cried out for Eveline. "I did not mean to break my vow."

Hesher tried to keep track of his men as he fought from the sky. A bullet had torn one of his wings, yet he remained aloft. His fire had taken out hundreds of Savra, but more took their place. He was beginning to realize his mistake, for among the enemy fighters he saw women. They fought with the same accuracy and abilities as their male counterparts. Their viciousness was apparent in the way they not only shot an opponent but cut their throat to make sure of their death.

His stomach sickened when he saw Savra young, still lizards in appearance, swarm over fallen men to finish them off. It was time to retreat and obliterate the planet. He searched for Tae. He needed the lieutenant to operate the laser. Hesher saw him fall and flew across the field to retrieve him. Standing over him was a Savra female. She had a handful of his hair, pulling his head back, and was prepared to slit his throat. Hesher's talons clamped on her shoulders, piercing them. He lifted her into the air, tossed her high, and seared her with dragon fire. He wrapped those same talons carefully around Tae, signaled a retreat, and carried him to the ship. It was a dangerous endeavor. The talons could easily puncture a vital organ as he maneuvered through the battle, but it was a necessity. Other weredragons lifted the injured or dead and carried them as well. No one was to be left behind. The planet would be wiped from the universe, but it would not take a Talonian with it.

Tae was still alive, though gravely injured. He went in and out of consciousness as Hesher flew. He wanted to live and fought against the pain. Eveline was waiting. He could not leave her yet. Hesher needed him as well. He could not control the laser in this condition, but it was his duty to tell the commander how to use it.

With all Talonians accounted for, the ships rose from the Savra's world. The enemy thought they were victorious and were celebrating as they continued to send halfhearted shots toward the ships.

Hesher shouted orders as he carried Tae below. "Bring medical equipment to the weapons area. We need to stop the flow of blood or we will lose Tae."

"Commander, let me take him to the infirmary. He will receive better care. You should go as well. You are bleeding," one of the soldiers declared.

"My wound was to a wing. In this form, it is only a scratch. I need Tae in order to know how to use the laser. Stop arguing and get the equipment."

Weapons were shoved off a metal shelf so that Hesher could place Tae on it. He demanded that a soldier press hard against the chest wound to slow the bleeding. "Tae, can you hear me?" he asked.

"Yes," Tae moaned.

"What do I do first?"

"Change level," Tae whispered. "Slide lever to red. Highest limit." He coughed, and blood seeped over the soldier's fingers.

"Done," Hesher replied. "How do I aim it?"

Tears ran down Tae's face as he fought to answer. "Sight on top. Put Savra in center where lines cross. Fire on full. Wait for green light, aim, and fire again." Tae lost consciousness as the first laser beam hit the planet. Medical equipment arrived, and he never felt them dig out the bullets.

Savra's surface blackened. It cracked with the second beam. The third made it tremble; fire rose from its center, then it exploded. The vibration rocked the huge Talonian warship and sent the smaller ships out of control. But, the pilots were excellent and regained control within seconds. The aftershocks would be felt far into the solar system.

Hesher prayed they did no harm to other worlds. The disturbance would bring unwanted attention to this area, risking Talonia's secrecy. For now, he would take his men home. They were triumphant, but at what cost? An entire planet was gone. Talonia's atmosphere was infected. They had lost more comrades, and Tae was near death. Why could not each species stay isolated on their own world and live contentedly? Why must they seek to destroy or control others? Where was friendship, cooperation, and trading? These were odd ideas for the commander of the military, especially one who had just obliterated an entire planet.

Tae's blood, the bullets that had been removed, and blood-soaked cloths littered the floor of the weapons area. He ordered the attendants, "Take him out of this mess. Do whatever you must to keep him alive. Let us go home. The war with the Savra is over, but I fear other issues are arising. If I am needed, you can reach me in the command center."

Tae was put on a lifter and taken to the infirmary. His wounds were clean and bound tightly. The bleeding had finally slowed, but he had lost so much that his chance of survival was slim. Yet, his heartbeat was strong. The bullet had missed it. Several times he awakened to moan, "Eveline."