Spearing the Siren

ONE

SCORPIUS SYSTEM
        The very tall elf strode onto the operations deck of the Freyja, discriminating gaze passing over the pandemonium. Varanger turned away from the control board for nothing more than the elf's sheer presence. If the delegation hadn't come aboard under terms of peace, he would have made even her shake in her boots.
       Horns of black and bronze stretched and curled a foot from his head of raven-black hair that rested against his neck. If that wasn't enough to make him intimidating, his features were harsh and unyielding, like a football coach displeased with the progress of the game.
      She'd seen him with the chancellor and the other elf he'd brought with him, but he seemed larger than life now. She almost gave him a report of the battle as she would have for William. She turned and gave a quick command to a technician before taking long strides toward him. His piercing green eyes bore down on her from his impressive height of six feet six inches.
"Would you like to explain to me what is going on here?" he asked in a quiet voice nearly drowned out by the cacophony, Varanger surprised he didn't use the voice his kind seemed fond of using for humans. Despite the quiet tone, however, his eyes called her to task.
       "The Ljosalfar have arrived and we're—"
       "That is one ship," he said in precise English.
       "That one ship is firing on us," she said testily. "What do you suggest?"
        "That is exactly what they want. They are testing your defenses and you're showing all your cards."
        She pressed her lips together. "If we don't, they'll destroy us—"
       "Cease fire."
       "Excuse me?"
       "You have twelve ships not including this one and you've barely dented it—"
       "We have other contingencies," she said cryptically and those powerful eyes stared her down.
       "Cease fire," he repeated, walking past her before she could give a response and she turned to look him over, considering her options before she gave the order. "Open a channel," he commanded a nearby technician in a voice of authority she couldn't help but appreciate. The tech turned to look at her and she nodded.
       "Cease fire?" another corporal asked in confusion. One look from the horned god had him averting his gaze, sitting down to comply with the order. The Dokkalfar looked at the screen as it changed immediately, the ship and space replaced by the most gorgeous, cold creature she'd ever laid eyes on.
       He almost reminded her of an angel if it weren't for the horns and eyes that held such ice, she felt a chill. This creature wants our utter destruction, she thought as the Dokkalfar met the gaze of the light elf who drew himself up, giving him a distant, if superior gaze.
       "Valiskar," he said in a voice like butter on silk.
       "Find what you're looking for yet?" the Dokkalfar asked in a tone like the light elf's gaze.
       "I wondered if Loridian would have left a lone guard."
      Valiskar gave him a tolerant gaze.
     "Are you finished with the production?"
     "I have my purpose and you have yours, I trust."
    "Your friends aren't here, L'aeric. It's just you and me. Let us come to an agreement before this can escalate much farther."
    A deep rumbling filled the speakers, those icy eyes filling with sardonic amusement.
   "Only you would try to turn me, Valiskar. I have missed our talks. You never call, you never write."
    "This war is unnecessary and you know it."
     The light elf sighed, an admittedly glorious sound.
     "That ship has sailed and we both know it, my friend." Something close to a smile filled his eyes. "I do appreciate the attempt, though. I always did enjoy your audacity."
     "Then come aboard and we can handle this like civilized elves."
     The light elf gave another low chuckle and it reminded Varanger of Hades after the outbreak of a war.
     "Think to talk your way out of this, Val? Of course you do, what am I saying." He gave him a dominant smile Varanger found engaging. "The time for conversation is past."
      Valiskar gave him a measuring gaze.
     "It will take the fleet time to get here. Come aboard. You have gathered and delivered all the information you're going to."
      The light elf shook his head.
      "Why prolong the inevitable? You have chosen the wrong side in this fight—"
      "We have each always done what we feel is best for our people."
      The light elf gave him a calculating gaze. The Dokkalfr switched to a language she didn't know, but it almost hurt her ears.
     The light elf gave him a dominant look that lost its friendliness. He responded, Varanger looking down at the holographic map of contacts floating above the control board. They flashed when a contact initiated its firing sequence and they were no longer flashing. She was surprised he had ceased fire just to have a conversation.  
        She couldn't imagine their technology would prohibit communication and firing at the same time. The screen flicked back to the ship and space and the Dokkalfar turned around. She couldn't be sure, but he appeared harsher than before the conversation with the light elf.
      "What's going on?" she asked as he took long strides toward the entrance.
      "He's coming aboard," he replied quietly. "You have a reprieve until he gives the order to continue firing, which he won't do as long as he's on board."
       She turned to stare at his back.
      "And we're supposed to just let him on board?"
      The Dokkalfr rounded on her and she almost took a step back, but she never had after twenty-five years in the Navy, and she wouldn't start now.
       "Would you prefer to be destroyed now or later?" he asked in a clipped tone.
       "We have a nuclear weapon that is going to deploy within the next few minutes—"
       He pressed his lips together as fire filled his eyes that silenced her.
      "You will not release that weapon until I give the order, Chief."
      She bristled at his tone and he turned, striding from the operations deck. She almost saw flames in his wake.