The idea of Faoe Soldiers. The climate was very harsh and foreboding on this world which historians believe to be ancient Earth.
Planet: Faoe
Acastid, near the equator.
21 hours of sunlight; not an every day event, fortunately- only during the few months of the Two Suns. Their combined gravity throughout these long months pulls constantly on Faoe's mountainous regions with excessive force, exposing this side of the equator to almost unbearable heat and dryness. It isn't until the month of Separation [when both suns continue on their way in opposite directions] that some manner of relief is bestowed on the ravaged peoples of the cities positioned here.
The question must be asked: "Whose idea was it to put cities in an almost uninhabitable area like this?" Maybe an even better question would be: "Why are the men of power throwing garrison after garrison into these cities to fight over them?" I do believe this opinion is unanimous among those who have died, and those who are still dying for this absurd cause; namely- the soldiers and civilians fighting here on Death Front!
One small band of these men and women are holed up in a half-collapsed building at the centre of town: the Acastid City Office Building. (Yeah, the mayor isn't here right now…just so you know.)
They are not currently fighting though. An unusual calm has settled in; almost a scary calm. The Grand Constellation troops are not out in the streets, not shooting, nothing! Silence. A battlefield minus the battle.
"Where are they?" Donold Senetil asks out loud, feeling on edge. He braces his back against one of the ceiling support columns, and points his gun out an adjacent window; eyes darting in every direction, just itching for something to move.
Nothing does. It feels like days go by. 'Dang, it's maddening!' Not only for him, but also for all the other soldiers and civilians he's with- a good dozen or so.
The sound of their own heavy breathing is all they hear.
"What in all blazes are they doing!?" Shaj Kinnesfield whispers to no one in particular. Shaj is a tall, muscular fellow in his late 50s, who's broad shoulders and straight back make him look like Donold Senetil times two!
"Do you think maybe they've retreated farther back into the city?" Irliss Eloken, another veteran member of the Phantoms, asks Captain Zeelu Atrosa.
He doesn't respond for a long moment, but just stares harder at the surrounding buildings. "Doesn't matter. Keep your focus, gentlemen."
"Oh, they're out there alright, Daddy Muscles”, Donold answers Irliss anyway. "They've got way too many crazy comm-jammers set up in this area to just buzz off back to their hives!"
A faint cracking sound causes all in the group to snap around to find the source- a small rabbit munching on some chance bit of vegetation in his hands.
All except the big soldier guarding the back wall, that is. He doesn't even flinch. His eyes remain hollow, with no emotion passing through them whatsoever. In the quiet afternoon light he looks like a statue to Donold; a scarlet-hooded statue with a big chain gun.
The man is a living, breathing, machine-of-war that the entire squad looks up to- maybe even Captain Atrosa himself! He can practically smell an ambush, doesn't show the slightest hint of fear before dropping into a war zone, fights like a living legend, and hits his target as easily with a pistol as a good sniper could with a perfect, marksman’s rifle…
But most certainly his best attribute is his ability to remain unshakable, even in the most desperate situations.
The man is bulletproof! Not literally- although even that is questioned by his fellow soldiers sometimes- but a look from the outside by anyone would put him on the level of a perfect soldier. Yet he doesn't brag about it. Not at all! In fact it's rare when anyone hears him say anything period! Even Donold, who is a closer friend to him than any of the other guys, barely hears two words from him in an entire day!
On the battlefield he's different. He’ll talk to you then, provided it's imperative and he needs to say something. Otherwise he’s dead silent, full of thoughts and memories...- or, at least, that's what Donold supposes.
You, reader, of course know him as Aegis Thearo. Who his father and mother are or were, no one knows. He doesn't speak about it, nor does he speak of a life elsewhere.
Does something bother him? Is his silence from a broken heart, or a tortured mind? Is it from something else?
‘Why doesn't he say something to me?' Donold thinks. 'Anything?' It frustrates him that he can't break through the solid mental wall that holds his friend inside. And Donold, being a good man, desperately wants to know the reason behind Aegis's silence- not for anything as low as bragging rights, but solely to help somehow; if it is help his friend needs, that is.
But for now, all he gets is silence, reminding him to himself stay quiet, patient, and watchful; and if the time comes (and I do say if), be the one to lend a helping hand. Be a true friend. That's who Donold is- the guy who always puts other people first; it makes it easier to accept the very real possibility of his dying…and helps him know what it means to not regret having lived.
…foom foom foom foom foom…
Everyone's eyes dart to the sky, looking for what could have made that sound! It doesn't take too long to spot it…
"Hey! Red Banners!" Shaj exclaims. "King-ships!"
Irliss frowns curiously; his perpetually grinning mouth behind his sloppy brown beard plays around in thought. "They're a little far from home”, he concludes.
"The Constellation AA guns aren't shooting them down”, a smooth, dark voice reports. They all turn, surprised see Lieutenant Aegis Thearo speaking, barely recognizing his voice. "It might have something to do with the dead quiet, sir”, he finishes to Captain Atrosa, who pulls out his computerized binoculars to examine the two craft.
"They're flying under white flags…" he reports. His scanner on the device then picks up the crafts’ radio frequency. "…And the white frequency."
"Those ugly puppies!” Donold exclaims- never able to keep humour out of even serious comments. "How dare they stoop so low as to implore peace from those 'Stella’ [A common derogatory nickname for the Constellation Forces] dirt-bombs!"
“They’re banking toward us, captain”, Irliss says, watching their movements closely. "Looks like they're coming in for a landing."
"Yes", Zeelu confirms. "Donold! You're the specialist! Find them a safe place to set down”, he orders.
"Yes sir!" the small Phantom soldier acknowledges, already rushing out down an alleyway, weapon ready.
"Everyone else, secure a perimeter around Senetil's LZ!" he commands. "I'm going to guess that there are VIPs on board those craft. They’re the important ones, remember", he says sarcastically.
"Yes sir!" the soldiers reply, grinning as they cautiously take to the streets, and quickly enter the surrounding structures.
"That might not even be necessary, captain”, Aegis says before exiting. "It looks to me like the Constellation knew this was going to happen, and are allowing it."
"Hold on”, Zeelu replies, stopping him. "Do you think this is some sort of collaboration between their leaders and our king?"
Aegis watches the glass-winged craft soar overhead to an adjacent building where Donold can be seen guiding them to land. He then looks back to his captain with a ‘What do you think’ look on his face.
Zeelu nods. "Okay. You're with me, lieutenant. Let's find out what exactly is going on here." The two then follow the others toward the landing zone.
Ethiir cautiously steps off the king-ship onto a rubble-covered rooftop overlooking the pitiful, devastated city.
Strangely enough, the bad smell is the first thing that she notices. "Uaaaaah!" (It doesn't smell like chicken, that's for sure!) But it's not the smells of war. No actually; it's just sulphur. 'Hmm! Probably from too much gunfire!' she guesses, though knowing full well it’s actually just the scent of the volcanic clouds above.
A number of royal guards exit one by one behind her and form two rows in front of the exit hatch. King Emasse Shunt hastily steps out and hurries through the ceremonial lines. Just over a second later he reaches Donold, who begins to bow.
The king interrupts him with an impatient wave of the hand. "Captain Zeelu Atrosa; where is he?"
Donold, halfway down the bow, looks up to him to answer, but stops short and peers curiously at Ethiir.
She looks back with a quizzical expression.
Zeelu and Aegis come up the stairway. "Here sire”, Zeelu announces himself to the king, both the soldiers bowing upon reaching him.
"Ah, captain!" Emasse says, pleased. "Allow me to introduce to you the ambassador of the Otonoliss Advocacy: Miss Ethiir Regal!" He ushers her over.
"It's a pleasure, ma'am”, Zeelu says coldly, without shaking her offered hand. She instinctively looks over to Donold who bites down on his lower lip.
"Is something the matter, captain?" the King asks with suspicion on his features.
As usual, Zeelu states it in the bluntest possible way. "Why is an ambassador from Otonoliss being entertained here, sire?" This causes Ethiir to swallow hard.
"Well, I thought you would never ask, captain!" the King responds excitedly, gesturing for them all to follow him down the flight of stairs to the middle floor of the building. His personal operatives are setting up a communications array there. "Young Miss Regal here is working on behalf of the Prime Advocate, Argin Aszen.” He then adds, as though for emphasis: "the Ruler of Otonoliss."
"Yes; our Enemies”, Zeelu replies pointedly.
Emasse smiles slightly. "Yes well, that hasn't exactly ever been proven, captain."
Zeelu stares with cold black eyes at him. "What is the purpose of all this, Your Majesty?" he demands.
The King looks to Ethiir to answer. She swallows again before explaining. "In exactly two hours from now, Captain Atrosa, this entire city will initiate a cease-fire to discuss terms of a…cooperative project. Neither side is allowed to break this pact until the terms have been heard, and an agreement- for or against this project- is decided upon." She then draws in a deep breath, having not paused for air even once.
Zeelu nods, with a revolted half-smile on his face. "I might have known”, he says quietly, thoroughly disgusted. And from what she can tell, it isn't aimed at her, it's aimed at his King. 'Darn captains! So infuriatingly stubborn they are!'
"And what of the Grand Constellation?" Aegis questions from beside his captain. Ethiir hadn't really noticed him till now. "I am assuming that they are only too willing to join in this ceasefire?" He asks it with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"Humph!" Emasse snorts. "If they aren't, then the battle will rage on again, lieutenant! with only my best wishes to you all."
"My colleague is explaining the terms to them now”, Ethiir jumps in, eager to put this in the best light possible; though right now it doesn't look very hopeful to her. "They will agree to our terms.” Then in an inaudible tone she says, "They Have to agree!"
A moment passes where nobody speaks a word. All that can be heard are the remote sounds, far away of a small battle. Even just That causes her to feel sick in the stomach. 'What am I doing back here?' she wonders to herself.
Zeelu finally looks flatly at the king. "The discussion", he says tonelessly. "and nothing more."
Emasse's old eyes widen in a sudden burst of anger, but Ethiir, noticing, quickly reaches over and places a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Thank you very much, captain”, she says, relieved. "And may I say that I'm sure it will be time well spent."
He turns around, beckoning the rest of his company to join him in defending the king's portable setup. "We'll see”, he replies without turning.
After a few minutes Ethiir finds a place to sit down and wait- a chair missing one and a half legs- thinking the whole while, ‘I hope Riss is having as much Luck as I am…’
He isn't.
Right now, Riss is still aboard the Chariot, less than a half-kilometre inside Faoe's atmosphere- the closest he dares approach with all the anti-ship defences in the city below. He has the field commander of the Grand Constellation of Acastid on his bridge's view screen, and is desperately attempting to convince him to lower his weapons and batteries and accept the terms of the ceasefire.
The commander, a positively massive guy with long blond hair, is named Lucaus Endre- Frontier Keeper and Captain, Lucaus Endre, his men refer to him as; obviously some sort of high rank, Riss figures. And from the way he’s built, they must promote their officers simply on how big they are, because this Endre guy is, in no short terms, a Giant! (You get it…? 'Short terms’… You get it…?)
Standing at least 6 feet 8 inches tall, and with probably 290 pounds of solid muscle on the guy, he makes for a darned intimidating figure! more so in the solid suit of bulky, black-and-brown armour he's wearing. His subordinates around him are fairly similar in stature and height. (Though if I had a big rocket comin' right at my lonesome, I’d prefer to have him standing in the way over any of them!).
"Listen!" Riss says for about the fifth time to him. "All we're asking is that you keep your men on stand down for not even two more hours. Please! Not even two hours!" 'Dang!' he thinks. 'I used the 'P' word! I hate the 'P' word!'
Endre's eyes narrow inside his black, armoured hood. *"I did agree”*, he responds with ice in his voice. *"Risking The Pride and Glory of myself and every One of my men, I agreed to your terms, captain. (He’s gritting his teeth now.) A two hour ceasefire, delaying our conquest of this city, while we wait for you to spit out whatever it is that you have to say!"* His face turns dark. *“TWO HOURS, captain!… It has already been Four! My troops and I will stand down no longer!"* He kills the transmission and his face instantly vanishes from the bridge's viewer.
Riss slams his fist down on the helm console in front of him. "BLAST IT ALL!" he lets out.
"Hey look, man”, Ja-ça says sympathetically. "it's not Our fault! If the Prime Advocate hadn't jumped the gun and sent that ambassador girl in so much earlier then us, we would've arrived at the perfect time."
"Yeah, he just got too eager to see things clearly”, Roice adds. "Any ceasefire we could get between these two forces was Sure to be a short-lived event. We needed coordination- precise, realistic coordination; not some fairy-tale pipe-dream where everything just goes tickety-boo!"
Riss still looks disappointed. "Well…either way, we didn't complete the Constellation end of the plan… And I don't think, somehow, that they care too much who funds their war effort at the end of the day."
"You believe all that too, sir?" young Alan asks, swivelling his helmsman's chair around to face him.
"Anybody who's anybody does”, Riss states.
"And why shouldn't they?" Roice asks sarcastically, gesturing to where the Constellation captain had been moments ago. "I mean, like...Dude! The Constellation and Otonoliss are like… (he makes a couple of hugging poses) Right…? Right…?"
Ja-ça tries to stay on point. "Even if we could somehow magically remind them of that, without risking them maybe even turning on us-"
"-and blowing us out of the sky with their Uber-cool anti-air defence grid!" Roice interrupts with a Cheshire Cat smile.
"-We wouldn't exactly be getting a willing ally”, Ja-ça continues. "Which, considering that we've already chosen the Great State's soldiers over their Constellation troops, could result in more than just heated tempers… We could be making Otonoliss a new enemy… a dangerous enemy."
"And we can do without more of those for now”, Riss states, leaning against the forward observation window and staring down at the 'World of the War-born'. "So for now we wait…and hope that everything turns out ok." (Though that sounds like a pretty slim possibility to him right now.)
"Yeah...” Ja-ça says from behind him. “We're in trouble…"
"What!?" Ethiir exclaims, gaping open-mouthed at a visual receiver displaying Riss's helpless face.
*"I'm sorry, Miss Regal”*, he responds. *"Afraid it's out of my hands now."*
King Shunt pushes his way onto the screen to face him. "Now you listen to me, Guardsman! I didn't travel all the way to these perilous parts, and brave Death for you to tell me that our blasted deal is off because you were too blasted slow to ensure that it all went according to plan!"
"'Brave Death’!?" Zeelu remarks out loud. The King ignores him.
Surprisingly enough, Riss actually smiles thoughtfully. *"Actually…”*, he starts slowly. *"Huh… It might not be over just yet."*
"What do you mean, captain?" a hopeful-looking Ethiir asks.
He suddenly looks excited. *"I mean, Ender won't allow the ceasefire to continue, but he never said anything about not standing down for the treaty!"*
That makes her smile too. "Yes, you're right! He might be a War-hog but he's not stupid enough to miss out on a chance like this!"
"I don't understand”, Emasse says, confused. "What does that mean?"
*"It means that the Constellation are planning on fighting right up to the dinner bell, sire”*, Riss answers. *"But are more than likely prepared to stop as soon as the two hours are up!"*
“What kinda sense does that make?” Sergeant Irliss Eloken- the big, strong guy- asks, approaching with his hands spread wide. When nobody pays him any attention, but just keep chattering to each other, he continues to Aegis, “If you’re gonna fight, then fight! Don’t stop to shake hands before you start up again.”
Aegis just glances at him, and then back to the others.
"And look!" Ethiir practically sings, pointing to a time monitor on the computer screen. "There’s only about an hour and fifteen minutes left till ceasefire!”
"Tell me”, Zeelu asks, breaking up the excited mood. "What reaction do you believe the Constellation will have when our men don't stand down for the ceasefire?”
Ethiir and Riss just look confused, but Emasse looks downright angry. "Our men will stand down!" He then tries to look down on Zeelu- not easy to do when the man is at least a foot and a half taller than him. "Or is there a problem!?" He bares his teeth.
Zeelu smiles, enjoying himself.
"My goodness! He's right!" Donold exclaims from his side of the room. "The Jammers! The Comm-jammers!"
"What Comm-jammers!?" the king shrieks hysterically. "Will somebody stop babbling around here and make sense-!?"
"The squad comm-jammers”, Aegis speaks up. "The Constellation have set them up citywide, preventing us from communicating with any personnel who are still isolated."
"Meaning, the only way to inform these personnel of our ceasefire is through word-of-mouth”, Zeelu finishes with a satisfied smugness. "Does that throw a kink in the works, sire?"
Ethiir's heart sinks as realization sets in. "They'll keep fighting…forcing the Constellation to fight back”, she concludes.
Emasse looks panicked suddenly. His eyes dart from person to person for any solution. "Well then…what can we do, ambassador?" When she gives him a confounded look he turns to Zeelu. "Captain? Is there a feasible solution to this problem or not!?"
"Yes”, Aegis says to even Zeelu's surprise.
They all look at him.
"Do tell, man”, Emasse pries.
"We can go through our lines, round up the men, and pass the instructions on as we go”, he explains.
"We don't even have close to enough time for that, lieutenant!" Zeelu counters as he jabs a finger at the countdown clock, angry with his friend for speaking out. "Besides, anyone who travels outside our lines would be picked off like a stray dog. I'm not putting my men's lives on the line for a wasteful operation like that."
"As if it was a choice you were allowed to make, captain!" Emasse shouts, furious at being undermined.
This time Zeelu approaches to stare down at him defiantly. "What makes you think it's not?"
Emasse actually smiles this time. "Because every, single one of these men- including You-...are mine… And you all do as I alone tell you… Am I clear, captain?" There is no mistaking the hostility in his voice.
"Gentlemen, we're running out of time as we speak!" Ethiir says; her pretty face changing expressions faster then a compulsive gambler changes his cover story!
Zeelu stares at Emasse for a moment longer, but then walks away toward a crumpled wall, wearing a half-smile.
Ethiir thinks, 'I hope that means he's relenting.'
"But Aegis, Zeelu's right", Donold is arguing to him. "We don't have enough time. There's too many stranded squads, too many hostiles dug in everywhere. It's impossible in this little time."
"Not for me”, Aegis replies without expression.
Zeelu gives him a sidelong glance. "Watch it, lieutenant. It almost sounds to me like you're siding with them”, he jerks his head at Ethiir and the King.
Aegis disregards his comment. Turning to Emasse, he says, "With your word, Your Majesty."
The captain peers darkly at him, but says nothing else as his face grimaces. It’s all too obvious he feels as though he’s being betrayed.
Emasse nods to Aegis. The soldier, in turn, heads for an open doorway onto the city streets.
"Specialist, Sergeant, are you coming?" he asks almost as an afterthought.
Donold and Irliss look to their captain for confirmation; all they get back is an angry stare. Finally he says, “Fine; whatever… Looks to me like he's getting his way, regardless of what I say!"
Aegis doesn't look defensive. He doesn't look...anything. His face retains its strange, empty expression. Ethiir stares at him, surprised to find herself noticing so much.
Donald and Irliss, both primed with excitement, spring to their feet and charge after the lieutenant, who is already exiting the building.
Ethiir takes a deep breath. 'Come on girl, this was your big idea!' she says to herself. 'Here goes!' "Wait!" she calls after them, rushing to close the distance. "I'm going with you too!" When all three in unison stop and raise their eyebrows, she goes on. "Someone from Otonoliss should oversee this."
"What exactly?" Aegis asks blankly.
'Good gracious! does the man Ever show any emotion!' she thinks. Instead she says, "Look, this is Our show, Phantom, and one of us needs to be there for all of it!" Actually, that came out a little harder than she wanted it to; especially the 'Phantom' part. 'It...It's His fault for being so…so…emotionally Comatose!' she excuses herself.
But, true to his character, he once again doesn't react. "Fair enough”, he concedes, and then glances her over. "We haven’t the time for you to re-dress, though."
She blinks twice in surprise, and then looks down at her apparel- high heels and all! "Oh, uh…" She tries to think of something smart to say but draws a blank. "I-I uh…my dress will suffice for me, thank you very much."
Irliss Eloken smirks. "Not in this territory, darling; unless you don't object to looking like a big, red bull's-eye."
Donold reaches into Irliss’s utility pack. "Here, take this”, he says, strapping a thick mesh breastplate over her shoulders.
"And this", Irliss says, putting a clumsy, clear-visored helmet on her head.
"And this." Donold straps an armoured gauntlet over her left arm.
"And this”, Aegis adds, pushing a heavy rifle into her other arm.
"I-I can't shoot!" she complains, flustered by all the attention. "Besides…thi-this weighs about a hundred pounds!"
"Oh sorry”, Irliss replies smugly. "We can exchange it for one that weighs two hundred if you like."
Ethiir finally gets her chin back up in the air. "Okay then… After you, gentlemen."
"Stay right behind me”, Aegis says with authority. "If you fall off our backs, you will die."
"Oh, I'll be there alright, lieutenant!” she answers haughtily, though inside she thinks, ‘Ethiir, what on all the natures is wrong with you!?'
As the three Phantoms exit the building, their strange Ghast-masks slide up over their faces...
They are prepared for the worst…
Zeelu watches them run off into the silent city, fuming with rage.
Emasse walks over to the much larger man and reaches up to put a hand briefly on his shoulder. "Poor Captain Atrosa”, he happily taunts, walking past him to seat himself lazily on a cushioned chair his men have placed near the communications array. "All these proud years serving as one of my most distinguished captains- The Tiger in the West, my generals call you- and you still haven't learned how to make perfect puppets out of your servants."
Zeelu slowly turns to face him, not even trying to keep the resentment he feels off his face. "Then perhaps you'll explain it to me, so I can see things from your level”, he almost spits.
Emasse isn't in the least insulted, and, leaning toward him, answers, "You start out by making men feel useless, like they aren't living up to their role- impoverish them. Then you come in as their glorious liberator, and give them a purpose." He waves his arm over the city to cite it as an example. "Then they will be to you of more value then the greatest horde of slave warriors ever known."
Zeelu's dark eyes stare at him for a very long moment.
"And if you haven't got the strength for that, captain”, Emasse continues. "then I fear your leadership skills have progressed to their furthest here…in this great city." He smiles evilly.
Zeelu turns and walks away from him, having gained a complete and utter contempt for his king.
LOTS OF GREAT CHARACTER MOMENTS!
I LOVE NOTHING BUT IT!
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The Warlord Domination, Sovereign Race
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