Kate Good lord he was huge! one smack from him would flatten her! All that talk about not showing fear, was forggotten as she stared up at the imposeing figuer, terrified. She chose her words wisely, say the wrong thing and perphaps this creature would go off like a poorly timed bomb, her words the spark that light him. “What business do you have in New Hope? You're clearly not a rebel; however, you don't fit the profile of the NFC." "I..um..uh," The heck? those weren't the chosen words? But her attitude changed when he asked the next question. I've been told you were accompanied by a cyborg. Is this true?” "What? a cyborg? O no no no. It's just me and my twin Nate. By the way is he okay your not...hurting him...are you? He acts tough but deep down he's very gentle. Please don't go hard on him." She must of sounded insane, but her voice rung with the purest sincerity, genuine, fails to describe the eminence honesty in which she spoke. It wasn't a command, it wasn't a request, it was a plea. She began shaking her head. "New hope in nothing like what they said it would be like when we were young. I thought this was supposed to be paradise, but it's nothing but blood shed." She stared into his eye's searching for the truth. "Tell me, was it all a lie? The idea that new hope was a paradise, was it all false hope?"
It looked like Alistair had made it out of the city. He didn't know how, but he was out. The old truck, it still used wheels, had clanked and groaned all the way, but done its purpose. he just had to make it back to base. He had seen a few fighters stream overhead, but none of them seemed to be interested in a lowly cargo truck bumping along the road. His last remaining squad member, Loyan, slipped through the window and lightly took a spot in the passenger seat. "It doesn't look like they're following us." He said. He had finally seemed to calm down. "Thank the Makers." Alistair replied. He was worn out. He couldn't remember the last time he had fought so intensely. This had been an ill conceived operation from the start, and they had paid dearly for it. His squad had started out with 6 men. Their mission had been to clear a swath through the city for evacuation any who wanted out. But the NCF had been ready, almost as if they had known about the plan. A full battalion had been sent in, around two hundred men, and flanked them on all fronts moments after the assault began. It had been a miracle they made it out. "Are you alright sir?" Loyan asked. He was a high elf, yet unusually timid considering his species. They were usually so proud. Alistair had never particularly like high elves, but after the war started, his opinion had changed. They were practical, valiant fighters, and capable commanders. Most importantly, they weren't humans. And Loyan was a nice kid. He was barely forty, still young. "I'm alright..." he turned the wheel to make a curve and winced as his burned flexed. ", well, I will be." He said. They were only a few miles from the base now. They were just passing through the jungles, it wouldn't be long now. "I can't believe we made it out of there..." Loyan trailed off. "Neither can I. There were alot who didn't." Alistair said, thinking of the rest of the squad. He had just been starting to like them. Then he thought of all the innocents who had died, probably were still dying, and anger flared up in him. "The NCF will pay." They rode on in silence. They left the tree line and he could see the base ahead. It was heavily guarded, energy shields and security turrets. As his vehicle approached, three turrets trained on them. He stopped several hundred meters away and took out the radio. "This is Alistair Sur'ma-rac. I'm outside the base in a commandeered cargo truck. Requesting permission to enter, over." A moment later, "What's your security code? Over." "Sigma Omicron Theta Four Two Two Three. Over." "Welcome back commander. Lowering energy fields. Over." The shield, then the gate opened and he drove the truck into the base. He saw the burly ogre Jarnar standing at the far end of the courtyard. Alistair parked the truck and lowered himself out, sore everywhere. "Alistair!" Jarnar called. "I didn't think you had made it." Alistair always marveled at the clarity and power of Jarnar's voice. "We didn't think we were going to!" He responded. "It was a bloodbath in there." Jarnar nodded solemnly. "Get to a medic, both of you." Loyan was standing next to Alistair now. "You'll be debriefed later." He tapped his fist to his chest and started to walk away. "Did the transport make it back?" Alistair called out as he left. Jarnar turned back to him. "Yes, but... we lost many of men today. Too many." He shook his head again, then turned away once more. Alistair cringed, still angry. But there was nothing he could do now. He dragged himself into the base, in search of a medic.
Arun Shortly after he had fallen, a shot had been fired somewhere from his right, the same direction the missiles had come from. The bullet lodged itself inbetween his pauldron and breastplate, and had only stopped just before piercing the skin below. Judging from the fact that it was only one shot, and a powerful one at that, Arun believed it came from a sniper rifle. Clearly someone was out to get him - but anyone fool enough to take on a Judicator would soon meet the hand of justice. Arun heard a nearby large vehicle drive off. He had barely enough strength to get up, and frankly didn't care who was in the truck. The shuttle had successfully evacuated, which wasn't very good news. How had he exhausted so much of his magic? He was sure he had had enough to disable both the missiles and the engine of the aircraft. Smoke suddenly surrounded him, and he heard approaching footsteps. The intercom in his helmet sounded with a familiar voice. "All clear Shorty, coming for retrieval." Kerys' slim frame soon stood before him, offering a hand. Arun took it and stood up slowly, awkwardly. They both started to make their way back to the NCF's military headquarters, accompanied by six soldiers that had managed to survive the attack. The other Judicators locations pinged on Arun's map. They were moving as well. So they were all alive. Well, of course they were - it was their job. Still, Arun knew that he had let them down. It was his antics that allowed the shuttle to escape. "I'm sorry," He said aloud to Kerys, who had his right arm over her shoulder and was helping him walk. "Nonsense," She replied, "We needed those hostiles alive. Whoever shot those missiles clearly had a different agenda." That eased his mind a little, but he still had to wait for Riley's reaction. Seeing as the older, commanding Judicator had left so early, Arun was almost certain it wouldn't be nearly as empathic as Kerys'. "There is no organisation here." Kerys said. At least that they could agree on. It seemed everyone was doing their own thing.
Hyper-Fighter Pilots “Lieutenant, I’ve got missiles converging on my location!” The hyper-fighters, by circling low over the battlefield, had successfully defended the evacuation shuttle from NCF ground forces long enough for it to escape. The remaining four low-altitude fighters now climbed directly upward, thrusters pumping furiously as the pilots attempted to lose the flurry of missiles shot haphazardly after them. “Roger, we’ll be coming up on your 180 in less than 20 seconds, continue evasive maneuvers. Hold out for me!” “Aye, sir! These rockets are--” With a brilliant explosion of blood red and deep blue flame, a hyper-fighter was struck astern by an incoming missile. “GAH! I’m hit, I’m hit, I have lost stern propulsion! I’m going to push down for an emergency lan--” Another burst of flame and smoke exploded from the side of the fighter as a second missile slammed directly into the cockpit. The sky was lit by flaming debris, and the remaining three fighters looked on for only a moment. There’s no time to mourn my shipmate! Not yet, anyway. If I make it out alive, there will be time to grieve. Lieutenant Junior Grade Neve told himself. “HF-11, 14, pin formation, set altitude 200 meters, engage in evasive port-wing rolls!” “Roger, sir!” “Aye, sir!” Neve took control of the squad, ordering a basic defensive maneuver at medium altitude. I hope this works. The fighters reached 200 meters, and with stunning synchronicity, fell directly behind one another, creating a straight line. The hyper-fighters looked like a small procession of ultra-deadly machinery as they tore across the black sky of New Hope. “Initiate port-rolls!” He shouted into his radio. Each fighter in perfect timing rolled together over their port wing as the bundle of missile streaking across the star smattered sky behind them grew ever closer. The first rocket of the pack blasted forward, and honed in on LTJG Neve, the last fighter in the single-file formation. The rocket dove forward, just meters from his starboard wing. “ROLL!!!” A fraction of a second before the rocket smashed into Neve, the formation rolled again to their port, lifting Neve’s starboard wing from the nose of the rocket too quickly for it to change course. The three fighters mirrored each other’s actions expertly as the rocket sped under their keels. The missile, unable to slow or divert its course, continued to race beneath the fighters. As the lead fighter pushed to complete his roll, he was struck as he brought his port wing underneath his ship. The missile nicked his wing, causing his ship to shake, losing speed, before he spun wildly into the middle fighter. The two collided, sending a shower of sparks and flaming debris toward Neve. He pushed the yoke downward, and dove beneath the wreckage of the two fighters as shrapnel slammed into his cokpit. “Lieutenant, I’ve lost them! It’s only me down here!” Neve nearly sobbed into the radio. Suddenly, an explosion just off his stern sent a shockwave of force through the cabin of his small fighter, shaking his body, leaving his ears throbbing. He heard gunfire, and there were more explosions as the remaining missiles detonated mid-air just off his stern. Neves turned to look behind him, and saw… “Lieutenant!” “Neve, pull up, you’ve got one more on you! PULL UP!” Neve jerked on the yoke, wrenching it upward, fighting the force of his powerful reaction engines, and began to climb vertically. The rocket blasted past him, slowing briefly to readjust its target. The rocket’s minute delay was all the lieutenant needed. He quickly fired his 20mm rounds into the casing of the projectile. The last missile exploded in mid-air, far from the fighters racing through the sky. “Thank you, sir! I-I’m sorry… about the others.” “This wasn’t your fault, Neve, and no one will blame you. You did everything you could. Let’s get back to Sundew. We can analyze the video from our cockpit recorders and the monitoring satellites. We’ll find who did this, Neve. Let’s go!” The hyper-fighters shot back to the freighter, where they would debrief, and rest. Memorial services for the fallen pilots would be prepared almost immediately. These were the first conflict-related deaths of UEFSF personnel since their creation almost 500 years ago.
All your base are belong to us. Daryn Varris’s coal-black eyes stared straight ahead, watching the narrow dirt road. He was a dark elf, with skin the color of cold steel and long pointed ears, like devil horns. His stern features and shaved head gave him a stoic appearance. In case looks alone didn’t suffice, the assault rifle in his hands made it clear he meant business. “I don’t know what we would have done if you all hadn’t showed up when you did,” Erin said. She was a human and a member of the Rebellion. She was driving the truck, while Daryn sat in the passenger's seat. “We probably would’ve been killed. You… you saved our lives back there.” Daryn ignored her. He and his men were not members of the Rebellion. They had been fighting the good fight or quite some time, but weren’t officially involved. He found Erin and a few others pinned down in an alley, taking heavy fire from an NCF tank that had been cutting a path of destruction through the city. Tanks were nothing for Daryn and his company. They were highly-organized professionals. He and his men quickly disabled it. A swift-footed pixie distracted the tank’s main gun. An elf knocked out its sensors with a single sniper shot. A goblin trained in demolitions planted a sticky bomb to disable its treads. Then Daryn climbed atop it, shot the lock off the hatch, tossed an incendiary grenade inside and savored the aroma of burning human flesh. Their death screams were like music to his ears. “You guys were amazing,” Erin said. “Who trained you? Are you the leader here?” “No.” Daryn Varris said coldly. He was only second-in-command. Their leader was busy elsewhere. And he was sick of listening to this human. He felt the urge to level his pistol with her head and squeeze the trigger. “The Rebellion could use more people like you,” the woman said. “And less people like you,” he replied. The words slipped out involuntarily. Fortunately, she didn’t catch his true meaning. “You’re right,” Erin said, with shame in her voice. “Half of my squad was killed. I… I should have done better.” She didn’t say another word the rest of the journey. The only sounds were the rumble of the truck’s engine and the moans of her wounded squadmates in the back of the truck. There was an elf with a bullet through his gut and an ogre who’d taken a shot to the head. It was a miracle he was still alive. Daryn’s comrades were also in the back, but they were silent. Very silent. The battered truck pulled up to the gates of Rebel Base 12, where Erin radioed her security codes to the guard on duty. “This is Officer Erin Williams of Sigma Company returning from morning patrol. Our access code is foxtrot charlie delta seven seven nine zero. Over.” “Sigma company?” the guard replied, startled. “I thought you guys were dead. Over.” “I thought so too,” the woman replied. “We were saved by some insurgents. I think the least we can do is invite them inside, sir. Over.” The gates and barriers opened, allowing the battered truck into the base. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Julia stepped down from the transport craft. The rebel base was bustling with activity. There were people everywhere. It was filled with non-humans of all shapes and sizes. With all the people flocking to the transport to tend to the wounded, she found it easy to slip away into the crowd. She didn’t have to wander far. She saw tents filled with supplies. There were crates of weapons, ammunition, food, and medical supplies, guarded by armed rebels. She nearly laughed. This will be like stealing candy from a baby, she thought as she wandered the camp, pretending to be lost while she got the lay of the land and memorized the location of everything. She had a bewildered look on her face, as if all of this overwhelmed her. She saw a battle-scarred truck enter the base, loaded with men. They began to pile out and tend to the wounded. Julia watched from afar, pleased with what she saw. A dark elf exited from the passenger side. He didn’t look toward her, but their eyes met for a brief moment as he and a few others lifted an unconscious ogre with a serious head wound from the back of the truck. She turned away while the dark elf carried the bleeding ogre toward the infirmary. Satisfied, Julia made her way back toward the evacuation shuttle, where she blended in with the rest of the civilian survivors. Perfect. It won’t be long now…
Aurora Redd: The first glimpse Aurora Redd still lay blooded and defenseless amongst the rubble that her crash landing had sent her hurtling into. The jagged rocks from crumbled building had cut into her body causing her to slowly loose blood. As gunfire blazed around her she lay trapped in her own deep conscious, her visions of the past. Which she hated more than the humanoids themselves. "Rory, you aren't even aiming it correctly!" Screamed Lucas Redd, Aurora's maniacally Extremist father as he placed his large hands around the eight year old, Aurora's, head. He held it completely still as she faced her target. She slowly rose the pistol again to aim. Her trigger finger trembled. When she noticed that she was trembling, she bit her lip. She knew her father would sense her fear. And she knew that fear would get her punished. "P-please! I- I didn't do-" Cried a small elf child, running in utter panic from side to side of the basement inside the Redd home. Lucas had had the misfortune of finding his daughter playing in between the fence with the abomination. She was to never interact with the vermin scum, or the Leeches, as Lucas had called them. And as Aurora had predicted, Lucas sensed her fear. His patience was growing thin with her and that could easily mean no food for two days for Aurora. She swallowed hard. This elf child had done nothing but shown her kindness. She had invited her into the yard and had offered to share her dolls with her. Aurora had smiled at the thought of a playmate..but it quickly faded. The idea of being anything but alone seemed far-fetched to her. "Do you need some g**damn motivation, you careless clod?!" Lance screamed at his little daughter, grabbing his own pistol from his holster. The kidnapped elf girl screamed bloody murder as Lance sent a bullet through her knee cap, causing her to topple to the floor. Tears streamed down her face and she screamed in agony. This was too much pain for the young elf to understand. She rocked back and forth on the cold, damp basement floor, choking on tears and being surrounded by blood from her gunshot to the knee. Lance grinned in pleasure at the sight of the elf's blood on his basement floor. "Finish, her. FINISH HER AURORA." He demanded in his earth booming voice. Again, she brought her pistol up, locked the elf girl's head in her sights but her hands trembled once more. The terrified elf and Aurora locked eyes. The elf's eyes asked 'why?" But, without wanting to face her father's wrath, Aurora sent a bullet between the child's eyes. Lance laughed sinsterly and patted his girl on the back. "Good job. I thought I was going to have to shoot you in the arm to get you to do it like I had to to do last week!" He bumbled, his attitude totally changed from murderer/torturer to teacher. He narrowed his eyes down at his daughter. She looked back up at him, her eyes glistened with confusion and regret. He grinned again and silently patted her on the shoulder before he began ascending the stairs into the light beaming from the living room upstairs. Her eyes then turned and stayed glued to the lifeless elf she had just killed, an elf possibly her same age. Her stomach turned when she heard her father's footsteps turn slightly to face her once again. "oh, yes, and do grab a mop and clean this stuff up. Your mother hates it when we leave the bodies down there overnight.." And with that, the heavy basement door slammed closed and she was left to pick up the pieces. Something inside her head was breaking. Even at the age of eight years old, her father was breaking her and shaping her into a machine fueled by rage.
Medical officers still rushed from facility to shuttle around the base, providing pharmaceuticals and much needed medical support to the inbound soldiers and civilians. Though the flow of injured and displaced civilians and soldiers had slowly subsided, the real work had just begun for the corpsman of Rebel Base 12. Amid the wash of tattered, non-standard military fatigues, a few sharply dressed military officers were present. Moving quickly, they stormed across the base, tending to the seemingly endless amount of field surgeries that needed to be performed. These individuals were medical doctors with the UEFSF's humanitarian division, and wore the standard rich black dress uniform of the service. Beside a small number of rebel-allied doctors, these were the only battle surgeons the base had. A female voice sprung to life over the base's public address system. “Now, all available active personnel, lay to the central inbound hangar. Now, available active personnel, central inbound hangar.” With the brief pipe, the base was alight with activity again. Hundreds of soldiers and specialists made their way to the CIH, located on the base's runway at the northwestern quadrant. The curious chatter from the personnel became louder the closer the crowd got to the runway. When they finally arrived, they saw a large cargo transport ship bearing the UEFSF insignia setting down smoothly on the jagged runway. A tall, unshaven elf stood among the throngs of soldiers. He had managed to avoid too much attention from the medical staff, and was eager to return to the battle. He followed the crowd to the wide hangar cargo bay, but stopped abruptly as a troublesome thought grasped his attention. That human from the shuttle... I saw her returning to the civilian sector only moments ago. What business could she have outside of the complex? He wondered further. Maybe she was lost? He had a hard time believing it himself. I should visit her after this brief...
Kelly McKeller Kelly had just stored away her helment and oxygen mask in a container of her ship when an announcement came over the speakers. “Now, all available active personnel, lay to the central inbound hangar. Now, available active personnel, central inbound hangar.” Kelly followed the group of personel to the hanger. Offically she helped UEFSF on non-humoid missions...unoffically she was a new member of the Rebellion. She didn't know yet if they counted her as part of the active personnel, but she had flown the evac ship here so Kelly figured she was close enough. She stood silently near the back of the crowd, and unzipped her dark-blue flight suit enough to give her neck some breathing room. She caught several of the humoids giving her suspioucs glances until she pushed her brown hair behind her pointed ears. They nodded...satisfied she wasn't a human spy. She sighed sadly. Her face was so human-like, via her human father, that her ears and uncanny senses were the only things proving that she was one of the humoids, because of her elvin mother. On the other hand, when she was in a NCF base she had to hide her ears and play down her abilities so that her face was the only thing they saw. It was tortureous...being stuck between two worlds. Both sides expecting her full alliegence and yet mis-trusting her just because she looked human or elf. Despite the difficulties, and the dangers, her full alliegence was too the Rebellion. The NCF were prejuduce butchers. Kelly looked to her left and saw an elf standing at least a foot and half taller then her, looking behind him with a troubled look on his face. He had the look of one who had just been in a terrible battle and had seen many friends die. The briefing had not yet started so she decided to ask him if he knew what had happened in the evac zone. Kelly touched his elbow lightly to get his attention. "That city was mess. There were judicators and soldiers all over the place. Do you know what happened?"
Rebellion Command The last of the base personnel filed into the large, semi-circular building. The chatter reverberating off of the concrete floor and ridged metal walls was nearly deafening. The pilot of the evacuation shuttle stood next to Aeros. She nudged him lightly, and asked, "That city was mess. There were judicators and soldiers all over the place. Do you know what happened?" He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted as a large, confident ogre seated near a podium in the middle of the facility, flew quickly to his feet.“LISTEN UP, SOLDIERS! I doubt any one of you know more about this than the next! In fact, I'd say NO ONE knows ANYTHING! Now, KEEP YOUR MOUTHS SHUT UNTIL WE NEED YOUR SAGE ADVICE!!! Is that understood?!?!” It seemed that Aeros' ears, while more sensitive than non-elves, were not the only ones affected. Nonetheless, he smiled. He knew exactly what this was about. A loud cry came from the swarm in unison. “YES, MASTER CHIEF JARNAR!!!” The heat exuded by the soldiers' bodies, cramped and over-crowded into the hangar, was dizzying. Aeros began to sweat as he stood, waiting for the reason they'd been summoned to be addressed. The soldier's were completely silent when a woman in dark gray military fatigues emerged from behind a divider and approached the podium. Master Chief Jarnar leapt to his feet once again. “ATTENTION ON DECK!” He screamed, and the soldiers of the rebellion snapped to attention. There was little formal structure in the Rebellion; in fact, they prided themselves in that. However, the woman standing before them was responsible for the state of the resistance today. She had presided over every battle of New Hope, both victories and losses. She forged the way of the battle, and was forged in the battle. She shaped the disorganized skirmish of the initial Uprising into something brutish, military, and strong. She initiated contact with the UEFSF with their plight, and drafted a tenuous agreement between them and the Rebellion. Every shipment of weapons, every strategic advantage, and every NCF soldier killed, happened under the precise, calculative fingertips of this Feytouched Fairy. Her ears were sharp, and vaguely elven, but much shorter. He closely cropped black hair hair fell over her forehead, landing just above her chaotically multi-colored eyes. Rumors abound of their magical powers; hypnotism, mind-reading, life-sapping. Few knew the truth about what the ever-changing palette of wild and colorful hues really meant. Jarnar spoke again. “Men and women of the Rebellion, your commandant, Brigadier Marta Zanne.” Cheers immediately erupted from the crowd, and hands applauded vigorously. The building rumbled as contained the overwhelming explosion of decibels. She smiled modestly, and lifted her hand, waving gently over the crowd as the bursts of approval stopped as quickly as they had started. She spoke without a microphone. Her authoritative voice, while feminine and tempered, was loud and commanding; she didn't need one. “Rebels! Today, we have suffered great losses. We mourn the deaths of our rebels, as well as our civilian kind. However, there is a light that forces the endless dark from our home; today, that light is Captain Kelly McKeller, of the UEFSF humanitarian division. Without her willingness, her courageousness, and proficiency behind the helm, I see a few faces in the crowd that would otherwise not be here-” She stole a glance to Aeros before continuing, “-and for that, we are forever indebted to you, Captain.” “Our orders of business run deeper than this, however; today's loss spelled for our forces much hardship. As such, we have duties ahead, and the mission must be executed, in the face of all odds and adversity. We owe it to ourselves, to our fallen comrades, and to our people to see the end of this war, whether we win or lose. If we wish to call ourselves freedom fighters, then we must talk like them, fight like them, and DIE LIKE THEM!” The crowd erupted again, and screams of support and allegiance were sworn over the deafening blow of cheers and roars. Some soldiers wept; some soldier howled in anger; even more lightly brought their fists to their chests in a display of concurrence. Zanne continued, “We will be hand-selecting an elite team to perform a covert operation in the next coming hours. I apologize for the short notice, but war is war, and it is rarely waged under convenient conditions. Those of you who have been selected will receive the pertinent details via secured frequency RF-118 of your radio-neuro-transmitters. After the final cheers were offered, the crowd quickly dissipated, re-energized and inspired to assist the mission in whatever way possible. As the soldiers vacated the hangar, Brigadier Zanne found Kelly talking quietly with Aeros. "I was on a routine information gathering mission. There were elev--" He paused, looking up and behind Kelly. He grinned, in a most subdued manner, and said, "I think the Brigadier wants to have a word with you. We'll speak later." He hurried away, passed the Brigadier, and shared a salute with her. Now is my chance to meet up with that human... Brigadier Zanne approached Kelly, also saluting her. “Captain, I cannot speak enough of the instrumental role you played in today's rescue. Without your division, and certainly without you, our struggle for freedom would have ended long ago.” She winced as she spoke, shifting uncomfortably in her brightly polished black boots. “It is unfair to ask this of you, I know; but I am left with little choice. Our aerial fleet has suffered the biggest losses of the Rebellion. We have only one weaponized shock infantry drop airship. It is heavily armored, and possesses enough artillery to reduce an entire city block to rubble. The only thing it lacks is... is a pilot of your caliber.”
Arun The NCF's military headquarters was the Ministry of Defence, located in the west part of New Hope. A large bronze statue depicting a human holding the flag of Earth had been erected at the front nearly 600 years ago. The man, who was nameless, was watching all who walked past the Ministry's gates, like a silent guardian. It made Arun uncomfortable. The smile on the statue's face said 'hope', but its cold, pupil-less eyes spoke of the malice that was to come. Arun and Kerys walked through the bustling entryway of the Ministry, occupied by a large number of tents - soldiers who hadn't found room in the neighbouring buildings and political structures. Trucks drove around the square as men were being brought back from the battlefield - the wounded and those less fortunate. Inside the Ministry was all marble - floors, columns, ceilings, the lot. To Arun it all seemed ancient, as structures in Eris were only really made of metal and glass. The two Judicators paced urgently through the halls of the Ministry, knowing exactly where they were to report to after their scouting mission was complete. It had turned into more than just scouting. Conference room 211, two floors up. Arun placed his hand on the door and could already hear the harsh voice of his commander, Riley Cormac, echoing off the walls. "-who authorised the missile attack?" Cormac spat. He held his helmet under his arm so that his reddening bald head was on display. "I had a man up there! Your soldiers ruined the entire operation!" The room was approximately one hundred metres in length, with rows of seats and tables covering the majority of the space. A couple of people sat at these tables. Some looked like they had just come from battle, others donned the finest military clothes, completely unscathed. At the back was one row of elevated seats, alike in a courtroom, which is where the NCF commanders sat, looking down on a furious Riley. Danyl was leaning on a table in the front row, just slightly behind Cormac - he looked bored. Arun and Kerys removed their helmets and walked down the nearest aisle to join their commander.
Kelly McKeller Kelly's cheeks flushed with pride and embarresment as the Brigadier praised her efforts that day. It was however tampered by the reminder that there were many she had not been able to save. After the Brigadier spoke of new missions to come the crowd of soldiers disspersed, and the elf she had been talking to turned towards her, "I was on a routine information gathering mission. There were elev--" He paused, looking up and behind Kelly. He grinned, in a most subdued manner, and said, "I think the Brigadier wants to have a word with you. We'll speak later." He hurried away, passed the Brigadier, and shared a salute with her. “Captain, I cannot speak enough of the instrumental role you played in today's rescue. Without your division, and certainly without you, our struggle for freedom would have ended long ago.” She winced as she spoke, shifting uncomfortably in her brightly polished black boots. “It is unfair to ask this of you, I know; but I am left with little choice. Our aerial fleet has suffered the biggest losses of the Rebellion. We have only one weaponized shock infantry drop airship. It is heavily armored, and possesses enough artillery to reduce an entire city block to rubble. The only thing it lacks is... is a pilot of your caliber.” Kelly studied the Brigadier's face as she processed what she was asking. To fight side by side with the Rebellion. Not just to transport supplies and soldiers but to be actually involved in the fighting. It would mean more danger, more likeliness of death or capture, but a chance to help in a far better capicaty. The answer was yes. She hardly had to think about it but there was a look on the Brigadier's face that caused her to hesitate. She couldn't quite read it. Was it a hidden pain, was it disgust that she was a half-blood? Perhaps it was nothing. Whatever it was, it did nothing to change her answer. She tapped her heels together as she stood straighter. "I would be honored to serve the Rebellion in such a manner, Sir. It means a great deal that you would give me such a responsibility. May I perhaps see the ship?" "With pleasure. I will have my lead pilot escort you to the centralized outbound hangar and share the particulars of the vessel with you momentarily. I'm afraid that piloting ships is not my area of expertise." She sighed and said, "No, I mainly stay on the ground these days." Smiling wryly, she lifted her fist to her chest. "Welcome to the rebellion, Kelly, and long live the resistance."
Simon "-who authorised the missile attack?" Cormac spat. He held his helmet under his arm so that his reddening bald head was on display. "I had a man up there! Your soldiers ruined the entire operation!" Simon felt some contempt for this man. The generals who picked him up had apparently not been only been looking for survivors; they wanted those who were involved in the missile launch. Simon was a "special guest" to this debate; in other words, he couldn't contribute, but got to at least hear all the petty excuses each leader would make, especially Cormac. The only person who seemed to ever talk completely sensibly was Wilson, who held very true to Exterminist beliefs. To Simon, it seemed only Exterminists like himself ever made sense. In fact, Wilson was giving his view right now, a tall, slightly skinny man with a mane of gray hair. "I did, and it was a much better plan than yours, Cormac, letting those four horrible Judicators attempt to do anything. You may have had a near-death, but I lost a good deal of Exterminists today, especially the ones in charge of shooting down the ship. I had only one survivor out of the missile-launching squads, while your precious pet vermin Arun lived through it all and did nothing but get in the way and foil my plans!" It was like a bomb had gone off. At once, everyone was standing up, yelling, pounding fists, pointing. There seemed to be two distinctive groups: one arguing for Cormac, and one arguing for Wilson. Merridew was with Cormac, of course. Simon had a long history of dealing with Merridew that extended to his childhood, and it wasn't a pleasant history at that. The only person who seemed to not be involved was the NCF's Lord Commander General, who's generally patient expression was slowly turning annoyed. Sometimes, Simon wondered if the NCF fought itself as much as it fought the Rebels.
Captain Tal “Please don't go hard on him." She begged. “You needn't worry about us. We're the good guys.” He said, grinning widely. “Your cyborg, which regardless of your semantic preferences, is a machine, has been temporarily de-energized. If we wanted any information, we would login to his CPU and extract it ourselves.” She shook her head. "New hope in nothing like what they said it would be like when we were young. I thought this was supposed to be paradise, but it's nothing but blood shed." She stared into his eye's searching for the truth. "Tell me, was it all a lie? The idea that new hope was a paradise, was it all false hope?" “Who are 'they'?” He asked. His brow furrowed deeply, and concern washed over his face. “What do you mean 'what they said it would be like'? New Hope has been embroiled in a civil war for over a year now. Where have you been?”
Arun "...I had only one survivor out of the missile-launching squads, while your precious pet vermin Arun lived through it all and did nothing but get in the way and foil my plans!" People rose all over, shouting and arguing, some agreeing with this Wilson, while another General piped up expressing his view in favour of the Judicators. Arun walked coolly down the aisle, ignoring the prejudice that was being thrown around. Arun had experienced prejudice growing up, but it wasn't as extreme on Eris. Most of the humoids got along. But he didn't have to look to know that everyone in this room was human apart from him, and that more than half of them probably wanted him dead, especially those radical Exterminists, who seemed to be behind the missile attack. They met up with Cormac at the front of the room. The veteran Judicator eyed Arun distastefully. He was angry, but Arun knew that Riley would never take the side of these backward rednecks. He smirked. "We came here to end a war -" Cormac's voice boomed, louder than the rest, " - not to kill civilians and shoot down aircrafts for false glory. Unless you control your more loose divisions-," the Judicator's eyes met General Wilson's, "-I don't see that happening!"
Invasion of the bodysnatcher... Julia looked up as a large cargo ship passed overhead, moving toward the base’s airfield. Look at that… the UEFSF just keeps giving them free stuff, she thought. Those supplies would be put to much better use in her hands. Black Death was quick, efficient and extremely professional. She and her men had been surprisingly successful, despite having no support from anyone. Everything they had was stolen, scavenged, or swindled from others. But the UEFSF ship was also cause for concern. Their involvement in the day’s battle set a new precedent. Was the UEFSF finally joining the war, instead of just sending supplies and intel? She had to know for sure. I need to be at that meeting, Indira thought. She was sure her men would be thinking the same thing. They would probably be there as well, but she wanted to hear it with her own ears. She and the other civilians were herded to some tents. This seemed to be where the Rebels temporarily housed refugees. There were uniformed soldiers moving through the crowd, tending to their needs. They gave out bottled water and food to those who needed it and assigned a bedroll to each person. The injured civilians had already been taken away to the medical areas, so there was no need for doctors or trained medics. Julia was approached by a slender elf girl in uniform. She was wearing glasses and had a shy, bookish look about her. She quickly offered water and a packet of dried bread. “Can I get you anything else, miss?” the elf said. “I could use some clothes,” Julia said, tugging at the tattered cloak she wore. “Oh, I see,” the elf said nervously. She looked around, as if unsure what to do next. “I… umm… I’m so sorry, I’ve only been here a week. Let me go ask my CO where we store the extra clothing…” She was just about to turn away, but Julia caught her by the wrist. “That won’t be necessary,” she said with a friendly smile. Her eyes briefly studied the elf girl’s body. “We’re about the same size. Don’t you have something I can wear? What do you wear when you’re not on duty? You seem like such a fashionable girl.” The elf blushed and adjusted her thick glasses. “Do you really think so?" she said. "I… I don’t know if I should…” “Pleeeease,” Julia begged, with sadness in her eyes. “I could use a friend. I lost my husband today and I’ve been so lonely and you seem like such a sweet girl. If you could just do me this one favor…” A sucker is born every day. Junior Technician Camilla Azerin led Julia Smith to her dormitory, which was only a short walk from the refugee holding area. They became fast friends. Camilla talked about how much she enjoyed working for the Rebellion. She liked fighting against injustice and tyranny. She was 21 years old --young for an elf-- and very idealistic. The world was all sunshine and rainbows, even though she was in a war. She told Julia everything about herself. Stupid girl. You talk too much, Indira thought as Camilla led her into the room she shared with three others. No one was there and probably wouldn’t be until much later. Julia made sure no one saw them enter. She locked the door behind them. Camilla looked worried. “I like privacy while I change,” Julia said to put her friend at ease. Five minutes later, Junior Technician Camilla Azerin emerged from her room, alone. She looked both ways, to make sure no one was around, before locking the door behind herself. She returned to the refugee sector. Her squadmates were just finishing up tending to the refugees. She fell in line with them as they moved toward the hangar for the meeting, oblivious to the fact that their comrade was stuffed in a locked footlocker. It would be many hours before the real Camilla woke up. Indira had planned on killing her, but, in a rare moment of mercy, decided against it. The toxins in her blood could hurt or heal. In Camilla’s case, she had opted to only paralyze the girl. Her heart rate and breathing were severely slowed, sending her into hibernation. If the body was discovered early, someone might even think she’s dead. She made a lot of stupid mistakes today and should’ve died for it, but she’ll improve because of this. I taught her an important lesson: trust no one. Indira arrived at the hangar just after the speech began. Disguised as Camilla, in her uniform and thick glasses, she joined the crowd just as a loud-mouthed ogre surrendered the microphone to a woman. Marta Zanne. Indira knew the name, even though the woman didn’t know hers. (No one outside of Black Death knew the name ‘Indira Blue’ or even that their leader was a mermaid. She intended to keep it that way.) Brigadier Zanne was one of the few rebel leaders she respected, but Indira nearly threw a tantrum when the woman heaped praises on the half-elf shuttle pilot. When the speech ended and the Brigadier descended the podium to speak with the disgusting half-breed personally, Indira lost all respect for her. Stupid fairy-woman! Have you no shame? she thought as she stared at this travesty. Putting a filthy half-breed above purebloods was the height of idiocy and was precisely why the rebellion was destined to fail.
NCF Command “ENOUGH! How dare you stand before me, bickering like those incorrigible reprobates swarming the streets of this once fair city. You quarrel like children while the swine of the world roam our streets, polluting all they touch, contaminating the gene pool of our great species.” He stood up forcefully, and swiftly stormed to the table where the NCF specialists sat. “DESPICABLE, SHAMEFUL EXCUSES FOR SPECIALISTS!!!” His face was blood red, and his eyes swelled with purple and red veins. As he spoke, spit flew, and a rabid froth collected at the corners of his mouth. “YOU!!!” He growled, brandishing a war-hardened bony finger at Wilson. “Did you expect to win the war by MURDERING ONE OF OUR STRONGEST ASSETS?!?! It doesn't matter if he is an inferior; at least, not for the time being.” He turned to Arun, scowling. “And you, you half-wit! How many chances should I give you before I deport your sorry corpse off of this satellite? The only reason I agreed to allow your despicable carcass here is because I was told you were the best. So far, you've proved useless. His lips curled back over his teeth as he grimaced sourly. “I want you ALL out of my office immediately. The deputy commander requires your increasingly tiresome presence.” The specialists silently left the room, each one glaring at another. The group followed the large marble staircase below to the third deck of the Ministry, and hurried down the ornate, thick carpeted hallway. At the signal of Merridew, they stopped at the door of the deputy commander, the operations specialist for the entire NCF. Lined against the wall, single file, Merridew lifted an open palm, and keeping his nose to parallel to the frame of the door, struck the door three times. “SIR! LIEUTENANT COMMANDER MERRIDEW, I REQUEST YOUR COUNSEL, SIR!” A voice spoke calmly from within the room. “Come in, Merridew.” The group filed into the large, vaulted office. Seated behind a solid wooden desk, a man's narrow frame was accentuated by light flooding in from a window behind him. “Please,” He waved his hand to the room's many pieces of antique furniture. “Be seated. The Lord Commander told me you were coming.” “Yes sir.” Merridew responded. The soldiers dispersed as they sat at the eclectic mix of chairs randomly scattered in front of the desk. Tensions were diffused by the Deputy Commander's calm, almost reassuring, demeanor. “While it is vital that he expresses his dissatisfaction with today's events, you all must keep in mind that it is not his intention to devalue you. You are all inextricably linked to the success of our 'cleansing' mission. It is important to understand this; you, in an hour on the battlefield, do more for this regime than the average soldier will do in their in increasingly short lifetime.” He paused to open his drawer, and pulled an intricate glass bottle from inside. He reached in again, pulling out a small glass, and poured a small amount of the liquid into it. “Scotch.” He said. “It's been getting harder to find these days, with the UEFSF's sympathies leaning ever further to the rebels.” He scowled, the first time he'd broken his level demeanor since the specialists entered the room. The expression quickly left his face, and he passed the bottle to Wilson. “Please, have some. Pass it around when you've finished." He took a small sip from his glass, savoring the swallow. “That's what this is about, gentlemen.” He stopped, looking to Kerys. “And lady. Today, we suffered great losses. The Exterminists lost many of their powerful comrades; countless foot soldiers were slaughtered by the Sundew's conflict of interest. We almost lost a Judicator, for Earth's sake! Today was too close. But, we have a plan. You specialists will be dispatched shortly to conduct a mission of the most profoundly and critical importance. I expect your full cooperation, of course.” His eyes scanned the room, looking for signs of defection and weakness. When he was satisfied that he saw none, he continued. “The details of the mission will be sent to you via neuro-radio-transmitter on the non-standard encrypted channel NCF-013. Stand by for further instructions.” He stood, revealing his true height. He was exceptionally tall for a human, towering at nearly 3.5 meters. “I hate to discuss only business, but such is the times in which we live. I hope you all enjoyed the scotch, and next time we meet, I hope it is under more celebratory circumstances.” The group all stood, somewhat relieved after their meeting. They made their way to the door, and began to file out one behind another. “Arun. Will you stay here just a moment longer?” Arun nodded, and stood at the door as the soldiers left the room. Some glared at him in disgust; others smirked vengefully. His comrades were the last to leave, and shot him concerned glances. Stay cool. Remember who you work for. Cormac's eyes seemed to say. “Arun, I have heard much of your presence here. I can't say all of it's been pleasant. In fact, virtually none of it has. However, that is unimportant. I am of the opinion that your commitment to the cause is unrivaled. Why else would you endure the discrimination, derision, and prejudice to be a member of this force if your dedication didn't far exceed that of your peers?” He looked at Arun, his troubled expression worn obviously on his gentle features. “I know an Exterminist tried to kill you today, Arun, and I know you know it, too. Please, for your own sake, stay close with your Judicators. Don't trust the Exterminists. Their extremism knows no boundaries.”
Kate, broken dreams “You needn't worry about us. We're the good guys.” He said, grinning widely. “Your cyborg, which regardless of your semantic preferences, is a machine, has been temporarily de-energized. “Who are 'they'?” He asked. His brow furrowed deeply, and concern washed over his face. “What do you mean 'what they said it would be like'? New Hope has been embroiled in a civil war for over a year now. Where have you been?” Kate crossed her arms and made a slight pouting face. "He is not a robot. Why does everyone keep saying that? The guy in the docking bay said it too. Calling someone a robot is a very cruel thing to do." Her voice while still timid, sounded the slightest bit upset, maybe even a tad defiant. "Nate has been my only companion for ten years, don't talk about him like he's...not human." She shook her head again, her brow furrowed, she was becoming increasingly upset. "....Anyway as for where My Twin, and I are from, we come from earth and I'm a little saddened that everyone has seemed to have forgotten our world. I now understand why some of my folks disliked New Hope. The vast majority of us remaining humans see New hope as the world every one fled to, abandoning us poor folk to die an agonizing exstinction on earth with absolutely no aid what so ever." She frowned, and shook a little a bit in anger, great frustration rose with in her. "And when we finally make it here to this suposed paradise every one is killing each other! It's like... have you people learnt nothing from the great war on earth! are we really going to have a repeat on new hope?" In her anger and frustration she had stood up not realizeing, she seemed surprised to be on her feet and sat back down apologetically, her hands between her knees. "almost 700 years,700 years! weve been trying to reach new hope, trying to escape the hell that is earth, thanks to a war started by our foolish ancestors. And when we finally get here...it's... it's just the same crap." Her emotions overwhelmned her, the realization of haveing her dreams, her mother and fathers dreams, the dreams of countless generations crushed; finally, had the time to sink in. She sobbed, bitterly, heaving with every breath intake. "I should of just stayed on earth! better to die of lung rot like my parents.. then get shot to death for no reason, then to face having the deing wishes of my family crushed. What was the point of all our sacrifice; if new hope is just another hell?" The tears dried a little, she wiped her eyes sniffling; "Sorry...I, just feel so disappointed." She paused for a moment, looking down at her hands. The tears stop falling, she seemed to reassure her self of something over and over, quietly saying it loud enough for Tarl to here. "At least I have Nate." She repeated, it seemed to calm her down some what.
Arun and Kerys Arun eyed the Deputy Commander sternly. "I'm here to do a job. The sooner that gets done, the sooner I can go home. I won't let anything distract me from it." And with that he walked out of the office. The other Judicators were waiting outside, Danly leaning against the opposite wall, Kerys and Riley quietly conversing in the middle of the hallway. They stopped as soon as Arun emerged. He walked over to them. "So what now?" Arun asked apathetically. "Go clean yourselves up," Riley instructed, "and get some rest - we've got a busy day tomorrow." *** Arun sat in his chambers after a long hot shower. He was deep in thought of the day's events, just staring at his armor on the rack by the closet. He almost didn't hear the knock that came at his door, but the rapping was too loud. Begrudgingly he stood up - who could it be? It was Kerys. Out of her armor, Kerys looked completely different. She was dark-skinned with mid-length ebony curls and a slim, muscular figure. She was beautiful. She stepped into the room and placed her hands on Arun's shoulders, leaning in to kiss him softly on the lips. Arun backed slowly away as she made contact. "Not tonight," He said. She looked at him with a smile on her face. She understood - he had a lot on his mind. "Well, I don't want you to be alone tonight," she told him, worriedly. Kerys closed the door behind her and walked over to Arun's bed, seating herself on the edge. "So, what did the Deputy Commander want?" "He told me not to go after the Exterminists." Arun replied. He picked up his sword, which lay against the wall by the door, and slung it over the shoulder of his breastplate, just as if he were wearing it. "Oh..." Kerys emitted, "It's not right, you know." The statement sounded obligatory, but Arun was glad she had said it. On Eris, people like the Exterminists would be arrested, detained, possibly even executed - they would not be given room to grow. It was a much more tolerant colony. Maybe that's why the Judicators had only been given half of the picture of what was really happening on New Hope. But it was too late now, and they had to do what they came for. There was still a war out there. "The sooner we get out of here, the better." Arun said, and he joined her on the bed.
Blowfish Daryn Varris stood near the back of the crowd, on the edges of the hangar. He watched Marta Zanne’s speech with admiration in his dark eyes. There was something about her he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Perhaps it was her eyes or her fairy blood or the gentle, yet firm, way she addressed her subordinates. He felt something stirring within him, even long after the speech was done. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and he nearly flinched. The dark elf turned and found a bespectacled elf-girl staring him in the eyes. She grinned mischievously. He stared down at the elf girl as if she were an ant he might crush, but she stared back with icy defiance. A chill crept up his spine when she spoke. “Do you like to fish?” the elf-girl said. “I once caught the most magnificent blue snapper.” Indira! he thought. ‘Blue snapper’ was their secret code. He hadn’t expected her to change so soon. The plan was progressing faster than expected. Fortunately, the others were already taking care of their part. Everyone was ahead of schedule. They continued speaking in secret code: “I haven’t gone fishing in a while. Been very busy,” he said. “But I may have some free time soon.” We’ve been busy, carrying out the plan just as you asked. Everything will be ready soon. “Really? When will you be free?” the elf girl asked, with a slight blush. She was toying with him, pretending to ask him out, but he understood the secret message: when will everything be ready? “I may have a gap in my schedule in about a week. Perhaps we can meet up then?” Everything will be in place in about one hour. We should meet up then. She blushed again and nervously toyed with her glasses. “Gosh, I’ve never been on a date before. I… I don’t know what to say…” she spoke timidly. Daryn was slightly confused; this wasn’t part of the secret code at all. “I thought you had a fetish for women in power,” the girl said, with a glance toward Brigadier Zanne, who was still speaking with the halfie. “Are you sure you can make time for little ol’ me?” she asked coyly. Daryn didn’t like being teased. He also didn’t like being accused of having emotions, especially positive ones such as attraction. Whatever this warmth in his chest was, he was sure it wasn’t that. He locked eyes with her and prepared to speak, but the girl silenced him with a finger to his lips. She leaned in close and lowered her voice to a whisper. She spoke as Indira, not as the shy little elf she was pretending to be. “Don’t you ever forget who you serve, Varris. Marta Zanne is a woman and the rebellion is only an idea. But I am the god of death and my people are more than an idea. We are a reality. When the humans find their cities burned and their children slaughtered in the streets, they will know how real this is.” Daryn Varris was a strong elf, but the intensity of her gaze made him feel two inches tall. He wanted to pull away, but didn’t dare. He was thankful when Indira finally looked away, gazing toward Zanne and the halfie. “I should go speak with her directly,” Indira said, still at a whisper. “What is a fairy to a god?” She was going off the deep end. He had only seen her like this a few times before and it always ended terribly. He didn’t want to see that today. “My lady, please,” he said. She wheeled around to face him and he feared he would be the target of her wrath. Despite that fear, he placed a hand on her shoulder, to calm her. “Don’t do this. You’re intelligent and beautiful and wise. Stick to the plan -- the plan you made. That woman is wrong. You can’t change her. What is a god to a non-believer?” A long silence settled between them. At last, the shy little elf girl said, “we should go fishing sometime. I’ll bring the bait.” They were speaking in code again. He didn’t like the sound of that, but at least the immediate threat was averted. “It’s a date,” he said before turning and leaving the hangar area.
Aurora Redd: Waking Up and Falling Asleep in Hell. As she waited for a school bus, the now 12 year old Aurora watched silently as her father, Lucas Redd, a Lord in the Exterministic Extremist ring, threw back several shots of whiskey before his gaze turned to his daughter and his eyes looked as if there was a film over them. Like you would see on a corpse. He was drunk and when Lucas Redd was drunk, he was as angry and violent as when he was sober. Just worse. He staggered up from the table that he was sitting at in the middle of their kitchen and threw the chair at the wall, five feet from Aurora, shattering it. Aurora didn't blink nor budge. Drunk or not, he was testing her and she knew it. She knew that everything her father did was to test her, to push her limits, to try and shake her. He told her almost daily that she was being shaped, his job was to shape her into a fearless and heartless exterminator. Lucas chuckled and ran his hands through his short auburn hair that was ten shades darker than his daughters'. "Y-you.." He started stammering, pointing at Aurora who still stood in the same place, watching his every gesture." You think y-you are so tough, hHHuHH?" He babbled belligerently at her, etching closer and closer to her. "Y-you think you c-can kill without fear?" He gargled, clumsily pulling out his pistol from his side holster after taking a swig from his whiskey bottle. He tossed the whiskey bottle to the floor and yanked Aurora around by the strap of the back pack she was wearing. Roughly, he unzipped the top part of the bag and placed it in between her school books. Aurora stayed silent but her heart dropped, she knew what Lucas wanted her to do. He zipped the bag up and roughly patted her head and pushed her towards the door. "I-if I don't hear a-about a bullet bein' s-sent th-through the skull of one of th-those....insects y-you go to school w-with.." he paused as he picked up the bottle of whiskey to take another swig before finishing his sentence. "y-you could better be-believe I am send- sending one th-though your skull wh-when you get h-home." He promised her, pushing her out of the front door and slamming it behind her without saying another word. Silently, she walked towards the bus stop, staring at the ground the entire way. At that moment, she never knew how her actions that day would change her life forever. Aurora miraculously woke on her own, possibly by the scream that protruded from the her own throat. Often times she would awaken in her bed to her own screaming as her past was the only thing she ever dreamed about. Sleep wasn't something Redd ever enjoyed. She was still hidden amongst the rubble and found that she was able to slightly move her right leg, which was only sprained, but the other had been broken in the crash. She realized the fearful truth, she was stuck out here until help arrived. She hated needing help. She would rather have died in the crash with Tygate than to be weak for one moment. She was an Exterminist, that's what she had to do. That's what her existence was for, as Lucas Redd always told her. She couldn't die like this. She couldn't die here. But, she felt herself slowly slipping in and out of consciousness so she tried her best to move her body but her attempts where to no avail. She was a sitting duck, stuck between a hellish world and her hellish subconscious.
Alistair was sore all over. After the rally, for lack of a better work, he had quickly retreated into his quarters. He sat in total darkness, letting it enter him, fill him, energize him. Most people felt like the sun gave them energy, not Alistair. He had always had a keen connection with darkness. Most dark elves preferred it, but Alistair basked in it. He could feel it coursing through him, making him strong. Just then his comm tablet lit up, he sighed and rose from his meditative pose. He tapped it and saw a mission brief. He read it over, almost in disbelief. This was not going to be easy. He stretched, and flexed his muscles. The kinks were coming out. He had kept himself surprisingly fit for his age. That was what special forces taught you, discipline. He checked the time, he still had some time before he had to be ready. His pack was already in order, supplies and ammunition replenished. For all intents and purposes he was ready to go. He turned off the screen on his tablet and resumed his position on the floor. They would get him when they needed him.
Kate, a new life Kate put her head down shaking it, her breathing steadied, "At least I have Nate." Tarl felt something for her, empathy perhaps, but he was no fool. It was a possibility this was all an act. Granted it was a damn convincing act; treating her cyborg like a real person was such a crazy thing to do and, it seemed unessential for her to pretend such a thing. The frustrated tears were equally convincing but to believe she was from earth? Even that was stretching the imagination. "Girl, what is your name?" Tarl asked gently. She didn't look up, her voice still quivered but the tears were gone, only stains on her face were left. "Kate...Kate Ernstin." Then she looked up, "And who are you?" Tarl chuckled a little ashamed of his brash behaviour. He hadn't even the matters to introduce him self. "How rude of me, I have forgotten to introduce myself. I am Captain Tal, the Commanding Officer of this ship. I am, as you may have gathered, a half-giant, born afloat on the infinite ocean of space, and have spent nearly everyday of my life attached to one ship or another." He paused for a moment, complentating her story. Could she really be from that long dead planet? "You must forgive me Kate Erstin, I have a hard time believing you are from earth. That planet is and has been, uninhabitable for centuries. Still I want to believe you, do you have any evidence to back up your claim?" "Would you like to test me for radiation poisoning? would that convince you? Or would you rather I cough up some blood to prove to you how infected my lungs are? Lung rot is not something you develop unless your on earth I think that would be enough. Honestly Tal why would I lie to you about this? If I was trying to get away with something don't you think I'd pick a story more believable?" The girl had a point, saying your from earth is not the first story one would pick f they wanted to fool people, even so he had to be sure. "You understand why I am cautious, you seem genuine but anything to prove my hunch about you just to put me at ease." " Can you get my holofield viewer? It's in Hope, my ship." A few moments later Tal was holding a holofield viewer delivered from Kates ship, a terribly old device used right before the war. It was further evidence backing up this girls claim. But it was the images in the record that made Tal look in wonder. The recorder showed old images, the sound scratchy and a little out of sinc but no less real. It was recordings of her childhood, Images of her infancy the first time they tested computer and brain symbiosis. Then her young years, spent playing with the twin. But this Time it was actually her twin and not a cyborg, my god the girl had recreated her lost relative almost identically. Nate the cyborg and Nate the human having the exact same look and smile. It showed her parents and others who lived with her, all of them were pale and sickly, where they lived dark and dank. Was it under ground? Then as the video played and the blue eye'd girl grew, less and less adults appeared in the films, one by one they seem to vanish with the passing of birthday songs, as if they were never there. By the time she looked about ten, all remaining footage only showed her, and her twin. "Truly this girl..." The final images are of her slowly rising to the surface of earth, A desolate waste land, not a green thing in site. Wind blew violently kicking up dust which blew into the lens, in the distance a lake, a lake that was black in colour. Then it showd her ship, the same tattered relic now at the docking bay, it too rose to the surface on a giant elevator. But she didn't go in it, not yet. The next image shows her moving towards what appeared to be a make shift grave stone. But before Tal could see the person she had buried the girl sprang out of her seat and hastily turned off the recording, "That’s enough of that." She said smiling awkwardly. Tal was silent for a moment, contemplating what he had just watched. "I... believe you." Her face seemed to lighten up at his words, she sighed in relief. "Thank god." God? At out dated concept in his mind, but further proof of her authenticity. It only makes sense that such a damaged person would seek comfort were she could find it, He sighed "You've arrived at an extremely inconvenient time, Earth girl. This embarrassment to the hominid species is the first war waged since we left the Earth. I'm sorry you have travelled this far to see us like this." Kate sat back down, shaking her head again. "What do I do now? How am I going to feed myself and Nate? Where will we live?" Tal hesitated for a moment contemplating his next move. "Kate, that paradise you dreamt for, it is not false hope. It never was, help us end this war, help us usher in a time of peace and prosperity. There is still hope, new hope." "How?" Tal stood up his eyes closed in thought. "Well first I need to see what your skill set is. would you mind taking some tests?" Kate nodded. *** The test was one designed to test the metal of soldiers in all fields, combat, stealth, interrogation, piloting, intelligence and problem solving ect, ect. It took a few hours to complete, when Tal received the results he was shocked. The girl had scored above average in everything but it was her I,Q, was insanely high, higher than some of the smartest people they had! "Something is wrong with these results, make them do it again." He said gruffly. His assistant looked at him amused. "They did. three times, on the third time she got an even higher I,Q. It's like she's got all the answers in her head somewhere!" Tal scratched his head bewildered, he caught site of Kate chuckling to herself. A day of more testing past, Kate revealed to Tal her secret, one of the most advanced computers connected to her very own brain. A technology her family developed over hundreds of years to perfection. Tal laughed at the whole situation glad his tests weren't becoming inaccurate but he had underestimated her greatly. This earth woman, she could be of much use to them, more so than anyone in the rebellion would expect. "Kate, your abilities far exceed your faults and subtle madness, I now know a way you can help end this war. If you will accept." They were heading to the docking bay, one of his own elites behind them. "My hands are tied by the bureaucrats above my head. I am only the CO of this ship; I still have superiors to obey. I violated a standing order from my Admiral. A trial will be arranged soon to arraign me for my 'crimes'. That may take months. In these precious months, I need to prove to the UEFSF command that our actions here on the Sundew were just; THAT WE WERE RIGHT! I need proof that the NCF is committing a full-scale genocide; woman of Earth, the dying breed of our solar system, I need your help." They arrived at her ship, it was looking much better, they repaired it. gave it a radio replaced the fuel rods, and even gave it a simple means to defend itself. Kate furrowed her brow, she seemed unsure. "I didn't come to this planet looking for war. And I don't want it but..." She turned to him and peered deeply into his eye's. "I talked it over with Nate, and he says he wants to help." She chuckled. "He really likes you ya know? He likes you allot. So...I guess I'll help. In anyway I can." Kate stuck out a small hand, reaching high into the air trying to grasp his massive finger. Tal took it gently, and they shook. "Welcome, Kate Ertsine to the UEFSF, you are officially apart of the one of the largest forces in all the galaxy, your mission. To infiltrate the NCF ranks and provide evidence of there cruelty and genocidal intentions." "I accept!" Kate sounded with such a sense pride. her voice seemed bigger than her body but her conviction was larger still. "Then you will leave for the rebel base tomorrow, you and your...twin" A new life had started for her, a new chapter. this lone survivor of earth now fighting, for New hope. That very day Kate left in her newly repaired ship. Tal went back to his office, satisfied on how things worked out and then a thought came to him. He pulled out the recording they had watched, and fast forward it to the end. As Kate made it to the grave stone, he peered at the rainy image trying to make out the name of the one buried there. Only when she bent down, and placed a sickly flower could he read it. Here lies Nate Erstine. My flesh and blood, my only friend, may God save his soul, till I may join him.
Kelly McKeller A mission briefing was sent to select members of the Rebel forces. Those that Zanne had chosen to send the mission too were supposed to be the some of the brightest and best at what they did. Soon after the mission briefing had been sent and second encrypted message was sent out. This one, called a meeting of those select members in briefing room six, located directly under the hanger, at 7:00 that evening. It was now 6:55. Kelly's black shoes made almost no sound as she made her way towards the briefing room. She had changed into the offical Rebel pilot's uniform, a dark green shirt and pant combo with the symbol of the Rebellion on the upper right hand corner her shirt. The symbol was a white fist pointing upward. She had called the meeting, being appointed by Brigadiaer Zanne to lead the forces into battle against the NCF as they protected New Hope's people. She stopped outside the door. Her heart was beating rapidly against her chest. Never had Kelly led soldiers into battle. She had always been in the background, assisting, transporting, delivering...never leading. She pushed open the doors and made her way to the table located in the middle of the room. These soldiers were counting on her to tell them the plan. She had spent most of the day going over the details with Aeros, the elf and Zanne but there were still many details that needed to be decided. Kelly took a seat at the front of the table. Aeros sat to her right, an encouraging smile on his face. However, she hesitated. What were they thinking of her? A young, inexperienced, half-elf leading them...possibly to their deaths. Would they respect her? Follow her? Or tell her "Go fly back to earth." No. She couldn't think like that. Zanne had chosen her for a reason. The reason was now. Kelly took a deep breath, and spoke with more confidence than she thought she could ever show. "Good evening, everyone. As many of you know, I am Captian Kelly. By now you have all received your mission debriefs on the impending threat. We have exactly 29 hours before the moon goes dark for the next 16 days. On one of these days, the NCF WILL attack New Hope's solar power facility. A facility the Rebellion relies heavily on. We CAN NOT allow them to succeed in their mission." She paused for a moment before continuing. "Here is the battle plan thus far. The moment we pick up transmissions telling us the time they will be attacking we will meet in the hanger above us. In the far left corner is a ship called, Liberty. It has just enough seating to hold everyone in this room. Tonios, Lenord, Maltise and I will be providing air support." She nodded her head to an elf, dwarf and fairy sitting on her left. Then she pushed a button on the side of the table. A 3-D holographic image of the power facility popped up on the table. "Aeros will be leading the ground troops to fight against any NCF ground troops they send in. What we need, is plan of defence. Perhaps traps and other things of that nature. Any suggestions."
Simon For a supposed "all-terrain" vehicle, Simon certainly didn't find the ride comfortable. The road they traveled on had a striking resemblance to pre-colonized Moon, with a good deal of craters everywhere from explosions, falling planes, and one whose shaped suggest it was formed by an especially fat Orc jumping from some great height. All four of the Judicators were present, including Arun; Simon sat as far away from him as possible. A handful of NCF soldiers were operating the various weapons located around the vehicle: two machine guns, a grenade launcher, and an anti-aircraft gun. An Exterminist named Redd was driving, with that same, slightly-insane look she always wore. Simon knew she was the perfect killing machine, but doubted her common sense: which is why she was perfect for the plan he had in mind. The power facility came into view, topped by a glass dome encapsulating a gigantic solar "farm." Here, the vehicle stopped, and Simon exited, along with a spotter and flanker. He had specifically requested for the Spotter's Scope to have steel plates hammered anywhere that could be covered up without impairing the spotter's vision; Simon didn't want it destroyed again, which was beginning to feel like some kind of lame running gag. The trio hiked up to a designated hill, with the glass dome about 500 meters away. Below, Simon could see the vehicle continuing its course to the facility. Everything seemed to be going smoothly; Arun and Kerys exited the vehicle a short while later and stealthily began searching around the facility, although they didn't enter yet. The vehicle resumed its course. Soon, the assault vehicle would crash through the facility's wall, killing any present guards and drawing all the others to that spot; Simon was sure there'd be some guards. The Rebels relied on that building, after all. But, he doubted there'd be too much resistance.
Alistair Sur'ma-rac Another message had come, a time for a briefing, 1900 hours that evening. At 1845 he stood again, feeling refreshed and made his way to the briefing room. When he got there, everyone was already there, except for the mission lead. He hadn't seen her personally, but he knew she was a half elf. He felt equal parts disgust and pity for creatures like her. Inside, he saw Aeros, a pixie he hadn't seen before, and an assortment of the best the rebellion had to offer. Alistair nodded to all and took a seat. A moment later a slightly built woman walked in. A flare went off behind Alistair's eyes before he realized that she was the mission leader, the halfbreed. So looked so human. But she was in charge of the mission, and he supposed she wasn't to blame for her parents mistakes. She greeted them, and then laid out the mission plan. She explained it calmly, and logically, she definitely had the marking of a leader. The plan sounded solid, except for one part. She finished and asked for suggestions. Alistair spoke up. "The plan sounds solid. I volunteer to go with Aeros team on the ground. The only problem I see is that if we're waiting here for them to attack, they'll have the element of surprise. If we're closer to the facility, laying in wait, we'll have the upper hand when they finally do attack. We'll be ready for them. I suggest sending in an advance squad to map out the area, set up traps and ambush points, and provide intel on NCF movements in the area before the actual attack. That way, if they manage to hide the attack time from us, we will have a presence on the ground that can alert the main force to move in. We're far outnumbered in this fight, and therefore need to exploit every tactic that we can to procure an advantage." Alistair tried very hard not to speak down to the young halfbreed, but it was difficult. He had been running operations like this two centuries before most of the people in this room had even been thought of. But he did not let his pride interfere. All that mattered was the success of the mission.
