They set off for the human settlement, warmed by the sun. Kedal and Bakal were not fighting serpents, like Kellon had been. They were very much smaller and without wings. Their function was stealth, though they were happy to bite any enemy, when the opportunity presented itself. The venom they carried was lethal, but not as deadly as the warrior's poison, that could kill a man in seconds. No, their venom took hours to kill, sometimes days.

The gra.s.s was good cover for them, and they moved through it quickly and silently, reaching the settlement in a few hours. The two were experienced spies, and knew that if they could find children playing, they would have a better chance of finding the information they needed. On the edge of the settlement, they split up and went around in opposite directions, looking for children. Kedal was lucky, he came across the school, where children were playing outside. He slid into the play area to get closer to them, then, motionless, he waited.

Bakal was moving slowly around looking for humans. He chanced upon the Thomas' house, though didn't know it. Sarah and Paul were playing in the garden. Bakal slid into the garden.

"Oh come on Sarah, it's my turn."

Paul wanted his go on the swing that their father had made for them.

"OK shorty," she said, getting off.

Bakal liked this, when children argue, they say things; hateful, hurtful, and spiteful things. Of such, is the Serpent's kingdom.

"Hey, less of the shorty sis, I'll be as big as you one day, probably bigger cos I'm a boy. I'll probably be as big as Danny!"

Bakal froze in terror, did he say Danny, that's the name of the child who defeated Kellon in battle. Bakal moved away very slowly.

Kedal's patience paid off, he heard one little girl talking about Danny killing the big snake. The other little girl said she'd heard that Danny jumped ten feet in the air to get behind the snake before he killed it."

"Ten feet," Kedal hissed, to himself, "that's crazy, humans can't jump that high."

The little girls went on, "I heard that he's eaten some of those berries that the grownups have all eaten, the ones that give them special powers, and that's why he was able to jump so high."

Kedal had heard enough, and slowly backed away from the little girls. He was just in time to catch Bakal coming back.

"Heard anything?" Bakal asked.

"No," Kedal lied, "let's go back."

Kedal knew he would get a reward for the information he had, and he didn't want to share it with Bakal. Sharing is not part of a serpent's way of life, but lying is.

When they got back to the cavern, Bakal made a hasty exit to escape punishment, but Kedal went straight in to the head serpent to tell him what he had heard. Agallon was there waiting.

"What is it snake, and it better be good."

Kedal swallowed hard. "The child who killed Kellon has special powers. He has eaten some berries that have given them to him. All the adult humans have eaten the berries as well."

Kedal stopped because Agallon got to his feet.

"Berries...Powers...Nonsense."

He picked Kedal up and smashed him against a rock. Kedal was no more. Agallon left the serpent's cavern seething with anger. Bakal had heard what was said, 'I knew Kedal was lying,' he said, to himself, 'he was too anxious to come back, and look what it got him.' The head serpent was busy eating Kedal's broken body. Bakal slipped away quietly into the darkness.

Agallon went to his master's cavern in fear of his life, all he had for him was hearsay and nonsense. Once again, the commander of the armies came into the presence.

"What have you learned dog?" The voice boomed and was terrifying. Agallon fell before his master as if to beg for mercy, though he knew it would do no good.

"My master I have news. The child who slayed Kellon has special powers. He has eaten some kind of berry which has enabled him to do great things."

"WHAT?" The cavern echoed loudly to the cry. The master knew the significance of what had just been said, and it filled him with anger and hatred. "Has anyone else eaten these berries?"

Agallon cowered even more, waiting for the blow to be struck that would tear him to pieces. "Yes, my lord, all the adult humans have eaten them."

Agallon found the following silence even more terrifying than the usual screams. When he eventually looked up, he saw his master sitting on his throne, deep in thought, his hand stroking his gnarled chin. He dared not speak or even move.

"We must move quickly commander, before they realise what they can do. Summon your forces and prepare for battle."

The master knew that the berries were the tree of life, but he didn't tell Agallon for fear it would impair the army's ability to fight. Agallon rose up and left hurriedly. Yet again, he had survived his masters wrath.

Kay and Sam were out walking with John and Lisa Hammond.

"Has anyone else got a sense that something big is coming, or is it just me?"

Lisa said, almost apologetically, and was looking for confirmation from the others.

Sam shook his head a little, and John shrugged, but Lisa responded.

"I do, it's as though there was a warning light blinking in my mind. I've had it for some time now."

"Me too," Kay said.

"Perhaps it's a 'woman thing'", John joked, looking to Sam, but Sam didn't respond to it.

"If only I could put my finger on what it was..."

Kay's voice trailed off. They continued to walk in silence, the gra.s.s making pleasant noises beneath their feet, the birds were singing happily all around them. It was Sam who saw them.

"What...Snakes?" John asked.

"Yes, I saw two snakes just over there, they moved across our path."

Sam was not given to fantasy so they believed him. When they got to the spot, however, there were no snakes there, and no sign that there ever had been. "They were about three feet long, one green, the other black, and they were moving together, well, in the same direction at least."

This was all too positive to be a mistake, and Kay knew it.

"You may laugh," she said, "but I think they were here to spy out the land."

"Me too," Lisa confirmed, without hesitation.

Kay went silent and looked distressed.

"They're going to attack us," she said, "that's what I've been feeling."

She had a look of triumph on her face, "Yes, that's it, now I'm sure of it. We'd better head back to the settlement."

Kay led off like a true leader, the others following close behind.

The head serpent knew that two snakes had been sent to spy on the humans, so he sent for Bakal. Bakal was still hiding, but the guard snakes knew where to find him, Bakal was not the brightest of snakes, so this was easy. He slid into the head serpent's cavern, "Yes master, you sent for me."

The head serpent was not angry, which made a change.

"You went with Kedal to spy on the humans, tell me what you found."

Bakal was beginning to shake, "Master, I have nothing to tell. I went with Kedal to the human's place and saw some children playing. They were the siblings of the slayer of Kellon-"

"So you ran away from them," his master interrupted.

Bakal remembered something.

"There is one thing master. The humans have blocked the tunnel, we couldn't get through and had to go over land to the human place."

Bakal could see that his sc.r.a.p of information had saved him.

"So, they know of the tunnel, and have blocked it. They must be expecting our attack."

The master told Bakal he could go, and sat back on his throne thinking how he could turn this information to his advantage.

Kay met with Jimmy. "I want you to coordinate our defences," she said, "use whatever means you have, to set up a defensive perimeter line."

"OK," Jimmy answered, "I'm on it." Jimmy left the room and Kay looked to heaven.

"Father we need your help, please give me wisdom."

"Don't worry, He has it all in hand." Kay turned to see Sam standing in the doorway behind her.

"I wish I had your faith Sam," she said, smiling back at him. Somehow things always looked better when Sam was around. Kay made to walk towards him, but stopped suddenly holding her stomach. She tottered a little and Sam rushed to her and caught hold of her just before she fainted. He laid her gently on the floor and felt her forehead. It was only a few moments and she came to and looked up at him.

"What?" She asked, on seeing his face.

"When were you going to tell me?" He asked, a little sternly.

"Tell you what?"

"About the baby."

Kay was just as stunned as Sam.

"Baby?...I'm going to have a baby?"

"You most certainly are my dear." Sam helped her up and cuddled her. "Congratulations, I think it's wonderful."

"Oh Sam," Kay said, beginning to cry, "I didn't know, honestly."

"That's all right love, don't fret about it. Sometimes these things do creep up on us. I am a doctor remember, so I should know."

He led her to the sofa where she lay down for a while.

"It's all too much Sam, we have the snakes to contend with and now this..."

Sam brought her a hot sweet drink, which she sipped slowly and then dozed off. Sam hadn't wanted to alarm her anymore than she was already, but he was worried too. The battlefield is no place for a pregnant woman.

Just then, Jimmy returned. "Shush, she's asleep." Sam warned him.

"Oh, sorry," Jimmy whispered, "I'll come back later."

Sam told Jimmy the news and asked him to be prepared to step in if needed. Jimmy nodded and left. He went straight to Chris and Sh.e.l.ley's house, Chris answered the door and brought him in.

"Chris, I've just been told that Kay is pregnant."

Chris' eyes lit up. "I know," Jimmy said, "it's great news, but we may need to help her out if things get rough."

"Yeah, right, Jimmy, no problem."

"Will you help me with the defences and Sh.e.l.ley help Kay personally?"

"Yes, of course we will, anything you need, anytime."

"Great, thanks guys. It may get very rough in the days ahead, but I'm sure we'll win -- we have to, it's the only acceptable option." Jimmy left and set about designing the defence perimeter.

Jake and Zeek had moved the mining laser into the settlement and set it up on a mound where it had a commanding view of the lake.

"They may not come that way next time Zeek, but at least we have this baby to hand should we need it."

Zeek was not his usual self.

"All this talk about attacks is giving me s.p.a.ceman's tummy. Do you really think they'll come?"

"I'm certain of it Zeek. They want to destroy Eden and all it stands for. The serpent tried to destroy humanity on Earth, and now he's here to try and finish the job. Well, I for one don't intend to let him."

"I do love it when you get all a.s.sertive Jake..."

They both laughed, they'd been friends for many years, and it was going to take more than a serpent to separate them.

Jimmy had used the laser to make a few 'holes' around the perimeter of the settlement. He'd lined them with flammable material and set a small charge at the bottom. He knew that fire was the great leveller, it destroys all living things, and no animal will go anywhere near it. He was right, but at this stage, he didn't know just what kind of animal he was up against. He went to see Kay to tell her what he had done, and they discussed the situation.

"The trouble is Kay, we don't have a fall back position. If they break through the perimeter, we've nowhere to go."

"I understand Jimmy, we'll just have to pray that they don't."

It was at this point when it dawned on her that Lark would be the safest place. "I'm so stupid," she said, scolding herself. "At the first sign of trouble we'll move as many as we can down into Lark."