The 6th of Six (The Legend of Kimraig Llu) by J. K. (Keith) Wilson Page A

building number. More importantly, the Mating Ritual was the key to that number. She had to mate before her sixteenth birthday—in one week. There would be no number attached to her name after that.
    Technically, her entire sixteenth year counted. But after her actual sixteenth birthday, the Leaders required strict records on all who waited. Every measly morsel of her life would appear in anal script. Any juicy tidbits, like her two failed attempts to complete the coupling, would appear in lurid detail. Success, even on the last day of her fifteenth year, would show only as a checked box titled, “Completed, 15th Year.”
    Following the advice of her Gender Leader, Geri chose Kimraig for her coupling. He produced more male children than all the other consorts; her Leaders were playing the odds. Geri, with Kimraig’s sperm could increase the chance a male child would be her issue. The Gender genes also passed from female parent to son, a future hero for their cause.
    The child would be Other, a male who preferred other males as she preferred other females. Kimraig refused her with no explanation.
    The younger females in her training class, offered their own whispered version. They spun their tale repeatedly, always behind cupped hands held to many eager ears. A friendly hand at her ear explained his refusal: Kimraig had sensed her preference for women. Geri did not get the point. He had thrown himself at Viral-1, his Queen. It made little difference to Geri that all Hunters did whatever their Queens might demand.
    He had said yes to that bitch Breen. Geri would never forgive him.
    Choosing from the least offensive of the remaining escorts, she tried again. Only by fantasizing about the child-woman Kylie, who shared her bed, could she produce enough lubricant to endure the nasty coupling. She produced a male child; a bright pink, piggy, little gnome of a thing that lasted just ten days. Had she taken him to her breast, he might have lived. Maybe just a name would have helped. The records were complete—Queen in training Geri-5. To hell with the Leaders, she needed nothing more.
    Her combat training almost cost her that coveted number. She could not lead. She only knew how to use bluster and physical abuse to force her orders. Her lack of command skills during each mock battle continued to disgrace her. Where caution screamed, she attacked. When attack would win battles, she withdrew. It made little difference. Chosen by her radical Leaders, her selection as Queen came in the first round.
    Geri was not dense. She sensed another reason for her selection.
    Geri was also observant. She would look, listen, wait and then take charge.
    Finally, it was Graduation Day!
    By design, two Wicca Leaders who had secretly committed to the lifestyle of the Others, had chosen this day to murder the remaining Wicca Leaders and install themselves as sole government of the Builders. During the two-year training of the ten groups, these two Leaders carefully selected Queens and Troopers who were dedicated only to them and the blue and gold crossed lightning bolts. The Hunters followed their Queens. They had selected another Queen, Geri-5. She had not earned the number 5. The renegade Leaders added that to save themselves embarrassment.
    Viril-1, the Queen whose Battle Group stood out the most in the six groups would make sure Geri-5 did her job. They were off to the right, supposedly to stop fights, but instead were the second prong of the attack.
    Their revolution would start under the guise of a mock training exercise scheduled on the concourse in the old train station. This large underground area contained only a few pillars to support the roof. Here they could depend on light for most of the day. The sun blasted through old skylights with fractured glass, protected by steel supports and mesh to catch broken window pieces. Power from solar panels was on standby to feed the lighting system if necessary.
    Maintenance crews had long since sealed