Special Notes: I want to thank everyone that voted me for the October Artist of the Month. That was very cool. You can see it on the Renderosity front page at the bottom. I submitted the interview already and it should be posted soon. Thanks again everyone. Extra Special Note: Author Tom Clancy passed away today at age 66. The literary world has lost an iconic figure, but his work will live on and he will never be forgotten. The Inheritance, Part II [Cyness Minor, Amphi Relief Hospital, Recovery Ward] Cody threw the bone dice. "Ha! Two in the graveyard, one tombstone, one leg bone, and a Lady Death," Cody declared. "Beat that." Joth'Cy picked up the bone dice and tossed them on the small table stretched across the hospital bed Cody was sitting up in. Cody had improved over the last several days and had been moved to the recovery ward. The bone dice bounced and came to a stop. "Oh yea, Three in the graveyard, one tombstone, and a Lady Death," said Joth triumphantly. "That beats your leg bone, pay up." Cody made a face and pushed his chocolate pudding across the table to Joth. The chocolate pudding joined the growing pile of what had been Cody's lunch. "I still have a strawberry gelatin left over from breakfast," Cody challenged. "Roll the dice, loser," said Joth. Cody picked up the bone dice and tossed them on the table. "Dang it, one leg bone, one arm bone, a bone skull, and two in the graveyard," Cody's eyes narrowed. Joth scooped up the dice and tossed them down. "Ha Ha, Lady Death, three in the graveyard, and a bone skull," Joth read the dice and held his hand out for the gelatin. Cody pushed his gelatin across the table to join the rest of his meal. "You boy's getting along I see," Lord Cyness entered the room. "Ah, bone dice is it." Lord Cyness stopped next to the bed and looked down at the dice roll, made a humph sound, picked up the dice and shook them in his hand before tossing them on the table. The dice clattered to a stop. "Three Lady Death, and two in the graveyard," announced Lord Cyness and then pushed the pile of food back in front of Cody. "Now eat your lunch before you gamble it away again," ordered Lord Cyness. Joth made a wry grin and squinted his eyes at his father. Three Lady Death were impossible, somehow his father had cheated the roll. "How are you feeling, Cody?" asked Lord Cyness. "I'm feeling great," Cody replied. "My leg hardly hurts, but my foot itches all the time." "Yep, that would be the genetic prosthetic growing into place," said Lord Cyness. "Soon you won't even know it's a replacement foot." Cody laid a hand on the crystals wrapped in a soft cloth in his lap. "Did you find any Dart ships left behind at the Academy?" asked Cody. "I'm sorry, they took them all when the Academy evacuated," said Lord Cyness. "My oldest son thinks he has a possible solution though. He is getting it ready now, it's the only interstellar ship we have and... well, it's not an ideal solution, but it's the best we can do." "I'll take any ship I can get," said Cody. "I promise I'll pay you back all the money you have been spending on me." Lord Cyness pulled a yellow creased piece of paper out of a pocket and handed it to Cody. "I know you will, son," said Lord Cyness. "Even if House Red Fox doesn't help you pay it back, you have the means to on your own." Cody tried to read the paper, but it was written in an older Cynessian language that Cody couldn't read. "What's this?" asked Cody. "That is the deed to your half of the planet," said Lord Cyness. "Huh?" Cody was confused. "I had your DNA checked, Cody'Ari, just to make sure there wasn't another House Ari hiding somewhere," Lord Cyness explained. "I don't understand," Cody was confused. "I settled this world with my brother," said Lord Cyness. "We blazed the trail together for many years." Lord Cyness walked over to the window and looked out at his city. The smoke stacks were belching black smoke from the old generators he had restarted to power the city. The loss of the red crystal was devastating. "Lord Ari and I split this world between us," Lord Cyness continued. "He later had a daughter and she was his whole world, but she left with a cargo jockey and we never heard from her again. It broke Ari's heart and he died several years later." Lord Cyness turned and walked back to Cody's bedside. "Lord Ari was your grandfather," said Lord Cyness. "The DNA test confirmed it, you inherit half the planet, Lord Eagle." Cody was reeling from this knowledge. He had loved Cyness Minor since the moment he stepped off the prison transport, but he never suspected it was because this was his home. He didn't know what to say and just stared at Lord Cyness. "It seems you made your own way in this world, Cody’Ari, and earned your own title," said Lord Cyness. "I've changed the registration from House Ari to House Eagle." Cody looked at Joth and understanding started to seep in. “Wait, that means…” Cody started to say. “Howdy Cousin,” said Joth grinning. “You knew?” asked Cody. “Yep, but father made me keep quiet until he told you,” said Joth. Cody looked at Lord Cyness. “I have family?” said Cody. “You sure do, cousin,” Joth added. “It’s like out of a movie.” Lord Cyness picked up the vid controller and flipped it on, white static grew bright on the screen. “No father,” Joth begged. “He’s not well enough yet.” “He has to be strong,” said Lord Cyness. “Lord Eagle will one day be one of the rulers of this world, and there is no more time to waste. He will have to return to the Academy soon and finish his education, but first he will have to make some decisions.” Cody looked back and forth between the Joth and Lord Cyness, their faces were stern, and something under the surface, looked like an ocean of anger surged just below their eyes. “Cody, hand me those crystals,” said Lord Cyness. “I don’t want you holding them while you learn this news, and Joth, go get the nurse. I want the nurse standing here just in case the news is too much for him.” Cody was starting to get scared now but he obeyed and handed the crystals to Lord Cyness who placed them safely inside the wooden box Cody had been keeping them while he slept. “What’s going on?” asked Cody. “Is it the Academy? Did something happen?” Lord Cyness slipped a data disk into the vid display unit and Cody watched the fifty-five minute battle and destruction of the world of his birth. Cody never cried or showed any emotion on his face at all. Lord Cyness had not expected this reaction and was concerned for the boy. When the recording was over, Lord Cyness removed the data disk and handed it to Cody. Cody took the disk and placed it inside the wooden box with the Crystal Entity. “Maybe Lyra will be able to see the vid if it is next to her,” Cody explained. “Do you know who did this?” “No,” Lord Cyness stated. “The fleet has assembled and is engaging them, but we are not winning.” “Are there any survivors,” Cody asked calmly, his eyes were cold as ice. “Yes, Lord Bali’s brother, Lord Bezil, was on Dara at the time and found many ships full of survivors,” Lord Cyness explained. “Alone, Lord Bezil and his Crystal partner fought through the enemy and saved over 80,000 Daraians, most of whom were children. I don’t have the exact details of how he did that yet.” “I want to offer the survivors to come here and live on my land,” said Cody. “I am glad you think that way,” said Lord Cyness. “As far as we can tell right now, you are the only remaining Daraian Lord and I sent the order in your name two days ago for all Daraians to come here.” “Are they coming?” asked Cody. “The fleet sent a frigate to all the minor worlds since most of us don’t have any protection of our own,” Lord Cyness explained. “The Captain of our frigate has been letting me use his Com Center and I’ve been coordinating with Prince Malice. The first ships arrive either tonight or tomorrow.” Cody lay back on his pillow and closed his eyes to think. What was he suppose to do now? “I should be there to greet every ship that arrives,” Cody decided. “That’s a good boy,” said Lord Cyness. “You are catching on to being a Lord quickly, but there is one other piece of business you need to decide.” Cody opened his eyes and looked at Lord Cyness. The man looked tired from too much worry. Cody guessed he must be in his sixties. He shouldn’t have to deal with all this. “What business?” asked Cody. “Prince Malice has refused to release you from service to House Red Fox,” Lord Cyness stood, the business at hand was almost finished and he had other things to attend to. “Prince Malice said that he will allow you to swear House Eagle as a vassal state to House Red Fox.” “What do you think I should do?” Cody was out of his league with this, he knew enough to offer his people a safe place to go and to greet them when they arrived, but what now? “You should accept the offer,” said Lord Cyness. “The economic benefits that you will receive for your House and for Cyness will be invaluable and outweighs any lost pride you might feel bending a knee to another House.” “Oh, I don’t care about getting on my knees,” said Cody. “As long as I can keep anyone from being hurt, or starve.” Lord Cyness looked down at this remarkable young boy that would co-rule Cyness Minor. The suffering he had endured during his young life hadn’t broken the young man, but instead had strengthened his character. I think the Ancestors went to a lot of trouble to get this young Eagle here, thought Lord Cyness to himself, he is the answer to save my dieing world. Cody sat up and swung his legs over the bed. “Cousin, could you find my pants, please,” Cody asked Joth. “Where do you think you are going, young man,” the nurse said alarmed. “I’m leaving, nurse,” said Cody. “There is too much to do before those ships arrive to stay in bed. Would you please remove these tubes from my arm?” The nurse ran around the bed to try and push her patient back in bed. “Oh no you don’t,” said the Nurse. “You are not ready to leave yet.” Cody grabbed the tube and yanked the needle out of his arm and stood up on one foot, his other foot was too weak to stand on. Lord Cyness and Joth grinned as Cody wrestled with the nurse. “He’s got Cyness salt in his blood for sure, father,” said Joth. “Who do you think is going to win?” Lord Cyness picked up Cody’s pudding and set it in the middle of the table. “I’ll wager a pudding that Cody wins,” said Lord Cyness. “I think the nurse will win, Cody is half the size of the nurse,” said Joth grabbing the gelatin and setting it next to the pudding. “Hey!” Cody protested. “I’m bigger than any other Daraian boy my age.” “Only because your mother was Cynessian,” said Joth. “All you Daraians are tiny like little birds.” The nurse gave up and helped Cody take the other tube out of his arm before he caused more damage to himself. Lord Cyness picked up the gelatin and the pudding and headed for the door. “Take him to the warehouse first,” instructed Lord Cyness as he left. It was almost impossible for Cody to walk and Joth ended up just putting his cousin on his back and carrying him. Cody had the wooden box Lyra’s crystals were in tucked safely away in a backpack. The door to the warehouse was open when they got there and Joth’s older brother, Gani, was working on the ship. “Here it is,” Joth announced proudly. “What the bird feathers is it?” said Cody. “I love it!”