I wrote this book about...2 years back.
I had a slightly different approach to writing back then. I’m more of a script-to-writing guy these days.
Above: the grandeur of Otonoliss.
Planet: Otonoliss
Argin Aszen is in another one of his famous (or, should I say infamous, and boring as grass growing!) speeches on live television, airing over many Otonoliss stations to adoring, although slightly bored, viewers, when he is called off-screen. The station quickly signs off and plays support commercials for the nature's mighty Protecting Light home-force (commercials such as- "Fight for Otonoliss! Fight for Freedom! Fight Fight Fight! …That kind).
Aszen rushes the impatient herald and grabs the man by his coat collar! "Never interrupt a public address again, do you understand!? Never again!"
The middle-aged lieutenant stumbles backwards and falls onto his rear! "Urgent, sire!" he cries, holding up a data recorder to Aszen. "Urgent! From Iron Shore!"
"Who cares what those rejects consider 'urgent'”, Im'oan scoffs as the Prime Advocate angrily snatches the recorder away from the messenger.
"This had Better be 'urgent' officer!" he says, activating it. The face of a plain-clothed official of the Iron Shore Empire appears on the recorder's screen. Aszen's eyes widen as he recognizes him… He isn't just any official! He is The Servant of the Reign himself! [The title of the highest King of Iron Shore] Aszen listens attentively.
"My dear Prime Advocate”, the Servant of the Reign begins gravely. "The Warlord's war has moved ere our shores begin. Their smite has crossed our nature… And lo a mighty smite it was.” [The people of Iron Shore speak a more medieval tongue.] From what Aszen can tell, he appears to be speaking from inside some dark, secret room… probably in hiding.
The Servant of the Reign goes on. "My warriors are exhausted; those of us who would fight are spent. The Warlord himself has deemed this a critical strike, for he personally trods upon our land as we speak… gloating o'er our humiliation." He then looks with pleading eyes at the screen and, swallowing his pride down, finally says, "Prime Advocate……I acknowledge that the two of us have suffered great differences to sever our relationship…that our (he searches for the right word) friendship as peoples of like birth and birthright, has been difficult to see as of late." Aszen greedily smiles at this part, waiting for the punchline. "But for it all, I am most deeply sorry; and would see us as one in unity again……if you would but help us… Please…help us!" The sound of frightened voices startles him, and he turns off the recorder screen.
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Aszen laughs uproariously, clapping his palms together. "Well, I'm pleased that you have finally come around to begging me for help, Servant of the Reign!" he says to the blank screen. "-Disappointed that it took you so long, but pleased, all the same."
"What an idiotic Fool!" Im'oan says, gesturing to the recorder. "Why would we possibly risk revealing ourselves for the first time over a pack of pigs like them!?"
"Why wouldn't we?" Aszen counters excitedly, much to the surprise of Im'oan.
"B…But sire-!" he starts to protest.
"Now look, Osprey”, Aszen begins, silencing him with a finger.
Im'oan looks nervously around to make certain no one overheard that. [Osprey is a codename that Im'oan goes by when he is doing black ops jobs for the Prime Advocate.]
"We've been looking for a place to start anyway… a place that is sure to draw the approval of all the people- not just those here on Otonoliss!" Aszen finishes. "I think we now may just have it……" He stops to think deeply, wandering over to the window on a nearby wall, overlooking the splendor of one of the nature's greatest cities- currently bathed in the golden light of an artificial sunset.
"But it means war against the Whole, Blasted Censure Rite!" Im'oan exclaims in a quavering voice. "We ain't good enough to beat them!"
"WE ARE OTONOLISS!!" Aszen shouts, spinning on him. "We are the greatest power this universe has ever seen! …just waiting to be unleashed." He goes back to his thinking.
"The targeters aren't even ready yet, though”, Im'oan protests.
“Then we'll make them ready as quickly as possible. They're supposed to be the best, are they not?"
Im'oan looks doubtful. "But they haven't even arrived yet, sire!"
"On the contrary, Osprey”, Aszen replies, gazing out the window at the enormous gathering of citizens below- all pooled around the scheduled landing zone for the recruited Cosmic Flare Troopers. "They are already here."
Im'oan rushes over to the window in time to see the giant sky-doors of the lower atmosphere open, revealing, to the roaring delight of the millions gathered, the Chariot amid at least thirty ceremonial escort ships.
It has arrived at last.
And with it…those who were willing to become legends.
Bruce Cavalar chooses this moment to march through the door as though he owns the place.
"Well, Cavvy!" Im'oan remarks, stepping towards him. "Comin' up here to see the grand arrival, are we?"
Cavalar walks right past him to the Prime Advocate. "There is a problem”, he states.
"Oh, is there?" Aszen answers, pretending to be shocked. "Well, we have a complaints board. I am certain you can get them to help you through any situa-"
"Shin-Graza is interfering with my work”, he interrupts.
"Is she, now?" He locks eyes with Cavalar. "Then why don't you deal with it yourself, for a change?"
Cavalar is totally unfazed by his answer. "She has decided to reside in my camp… hindering my ability to work in secrecy."
"So now it's your camp?" Im'oan remarks, chucking.
But Aszen's expression changes to a more serious one; just as Cavalar knew it would. "I require a fixed diversion to keep her eyes away from my work”, he states.
Aszen slowly begins to smile. "I think I have just found the perfect one." He gestures through the window at the Chariot, landing amidst the enormous crowd…
Two days- two short days- is all it took to escort these Faoeians across the span of a hundred galaxies!
'Donold definitely looked the most stunned’, Aegis muses in his head. 'Hardly to be blamed, though.' After all, he- like all of them- had grown up under an ash-filled sky, with only a small glimpse of the stars every now and then to form their dreams from. And even those dreams where held in check by the stories of the older folk who spoke often of renowned space-farers in olden times, who had set sail across the blackest ocean in search of new worlds. But in vessels capable only of crossing a galaxy in a couple hundred years, they were of course never heard of again…
Well, at least not until their great-descendants returned with news of a life beyond this desert… natures such as this Otonoliss, teeming with life!
Captain Len-Quéd and his crew showed a good deal of amusement at their passenger's astonished looks upon arrival at the landing platform, as they were greeted by so many smiling, happy faces. It seems to Aegis that the blue-striped men take an all-too-laid-back approach on just about everything. Perhaps that is the main reason for all this. Their own people have grown unaccustomed to doing battle themselves.
From the looks of the enormous gathering below, all arrayed in rich embroidery with luxurious metal accessories over their spotless garb- and cheering with deafening applause- he can say with near-certainty that his guess is correct. The strangers are even going so far as to hold Faoe's Red Banner flag over their heads!
(Now I will have you understand, friend, that Faoeians do have a much different outlook on life than their cousins on Otonoliss; for to them, death is always just a moment away. They can hardly fear it, nor do they seek so ardently to fly from it. To them, death isn't a horrible Reaper snatching them away from pleasures and riches… for they have little or none of those. Life means less to them, as does death. How they live- and die, though, is a thought which drives them through every moment they have- Most unlike Otonoliss folk, who live just for the next reason to celebrate.)
The walk down the docking ramp into the elaborate indoor station is, for the most of them, an…interesting experience- if not annoying. From everywhere come streams of confetti; bright spot lights shine in their faces from the balconies above; flashes from hundreds of cameras (Faoeians would call them some manner of elaborate but useless recording system) hit them like muzzle flashes from a chain-gun; and everyone nearby is constantly reaching over to try touching them! But it’s the carefree, jubilant looks on the faces of the crowd that hits these battle-hardened soldiers in the strangest way of all. They're only too happy when a troop of Guardsmen, in grey-and-white garb with gold armour, separate them from the happy crowd and lead them toward a giant metal barge… beautifully decorated for them in white sail-like flags.
Once they have all been seated in their luxurious, soft, brown leather seats, (a little too soft for Donold, who hops out of his with a startled look when he starts to sink into it!) completely decked-out with full reclining features and drink holders; the barge gently takes off. It flies across the landing site- a trip of twenty kilometers!- till it enters the surrounding city... which, right now, is about three hundred feet higher than the landing port, as it is built upon a separate land-plate (remember, the land-plates of Otonoliss move up and down in sequence). Below the city's plate, the group can see the hard rock surface of the actual planet below.
"Otonoliss was just an asteroid 3000 years ago, gentlemen”, Riss explains to them.
Then they look up…
The water, gushing out of the city water mains over the plate's edge, creates a magnificent mist as it falls down to the plate beneath it, catching the rays of artificial sunlight on every drop of moisture. As you can imagine, this creates quite an impression on a people used to a very dry land where water is- at best- scarce.
The tour overtop the marvellous city reveals the grandeur of craftsmen which they never before could have imagined. The giant castle-shaped buildings amid grand glass domes and two hundred-story buildings, take the breath- literally- out of their mouths!
"Are you seeing this, Chippy!" Shaj exclaims to Donold, who can only nod up and down...up and down.
The city is awesome (and I mean in the literal sense). It is breathtakingly more enormous than even their largest city. Acastid, in its prime, held about 700,000 individuals, and is considered to be among Faoe's largest. But this urban spectacle before them, resplendent in the dusk sunlight, contains no less than seventy-seven million men, women and children! (I think we have a winner, folks!)
The trip towards their destination- wherever that may be- doesn't end there, though; for this great city, mighty though it is, is just one of several similar Colossi, surrounding the finest urban settlement ever created by humanity: Inquina, a name which goes hand-in-hand with opulence. Inquina [which is also called Summer Harvest by some of its denizens] is named after one of humanity’s greatest known heroes from their ancient past; enslaved by the evil powers of Faoe for almost 10,000 years for his protesting their disregard for the lives of those not given immortality. Only Raig Metrolan [Another immortal who defied the Ancients] holds higher regard among humanity to this day.
The city of Inquina isn't massive…it is Monumentally Massive! The metropolis is composed largely of kilometers-tall towers and arches that almost reach to the sky-ceiling above, when- that is- the three plates that make its composition are at their highest point.
What strikes the newcomers most of all is the incredible amount of glass- silver and blue- that has gone into each and every building… Staggering amounts! The entire city, even down to the single smallest apartment building, glistens bright, reflective rays of sunlight back up at the barge; causing some of them to almost have to look away to save their eyes. Though I can tell you that they most certainly don't want to... The place is beautiful beyond their wildest imaginations. (Uh, did I mention that I think it's beautiful? Did I?)
The radio clicks just as they approach a landing platform atop a shorter building on the outskirts of the city. The pad overlooks a forest plate almost three hundred feet below it. The co-pilot answers the radio, and, after a moment, beckons Riss over. "For you, captain."
Riss raises a curious eyebrow, but walks over all the same and takes the device. "Captain Len-Quéd”, he identifies himself. At first he looks surprised, then suspicious, and at last resigned. "Are these the direct orders of the Prime Advocate?" he asks; then nods at the answer. "No argument here, sir”, he says, grinning. "Boys!" he addresses all of the group, taking the headset from his ear. "New- and slightly weird- orders… We are to report for our training sessions to the Ceaderen Keep forest facility about forty…two plates inland from Inquina."
None of the newcomers seem to care much one way or another, but Ja-ça and Roice both stand up in surprise. "What for?" Roice asks, frowning. "The camp I picked out had more than adequate facilities."
"Roice, I get all that”, Riss interrupts. "But look, I don't make the orders, okay. Argin Aszen himself decided on this one."
"The Prime Advocate decided?" Ja-ça exclaims, mouth open. "Why does he give a darn where we train? The Ceaderen Keep is a whole swamp’s mile away from anywhere!"
"Noted, number one”, he answers, not wanting to keep up this argument. "Again, I don't make the orders."
They know him well enough to drop it right there. Riss gives the new orders to the pilot, and then the three friends settle back in to continue the flight.
After a trip of about thirty minutes, across the vibrant green fields beyond the cities, and past the endless span of forests beyond, their destination is finally reached: a large fort complex inside a maze of sectioned walls, amid the swampy forest below… literally built into the forest.
As the barge begins to descend overtop a landing pad, Riss Len-Quéd addresses them all. "Alright, gentlemen, this is it… the Ceaderen Keep. This is going to be your home for the next few months. Now, bear in mind, there are different programs going on here besides just your training, so stay inside the designated areas as you go throughout your sessions." He looks over to Roice. "Commander Son-kye here (he jabs a thumb) will be your on-site commander for now. His orders come from me."
"Excuse me if I am wrong, captain”, Lucaus Endre butts in. "But a Constellation captain does hold the same rank even on Otonoliss; am I not correct?"
Riss looks irritated at what he knows the Constellation captain is insinuating, but keeps his voice neutral "…Look, we'll worry about rank details once you men are primed and ready, Captain. For now, follow the commander's orders."
Endre just nods, his expression not giving away anything.
Riss still doesn't like him, Aegis can tell; though he finds it almost amusing. 'Endre is obviously a stone-set man’, he thinks, rising from his seat as the barge touches down. 'We will need that.'
The door opens upward and the clean air of an Otonoliss forest is revealed to them for the first time.
Aegis is somewhat surprised by it. It is a pleasantly cool wind amidst a hot air, dense with humidity... a condition not felt on the desert world which is their homeland. The sounds are not exactly what he expected, either- birds tweeting, wind blowing through leaves, the sound of frogs croaking, monkeys screeching, bees buzzing all about; even a generator humming… Well, that one he expected actually. The rest though… The only thing he can associate them with is memory…
Terrible memory. Memory of places, people!
He forces the thought down with an effort, swallowing the panic which rises up his throat. 'The attacks are not stopping!' he thinks, suddenly in dread. 'They are only increasing!' He can only hope that no one saw any signs of the fear on his dark features.
He's wrong. She- that Ethiir woman- is watching him again. Ever since that moment back at the treaty meeting, she hasn't stopped studying him; trying perhaps to delve deep into his thoughts, past the steely surface, into the core of his fears. 'Why?' he asks over and over. 'What will she find here besides pain! Why be bothered with it? Why help?' He wants to tell her to stop… wants to tell her to just let him suffer on……and on…
He grinds his teeth in frustration at having so little control over this…this awfulness. There are tears in his eyes and his expression starts breaking down. He pulls his black cloth hood over his face to hide it from her, and then walks ahead of the others, down the docking ramp into the forest facility.
Roice is a little surprised by the apparent enthusiasm, but just says, "Ok, uh...after him."
Aegis hopes Ethiir isn't still looking at him from behind; and it actually isn't because he doesn't want her to see him for the wreck he is; he just can't receive comfort like this…can't bring himself to feel relief. Why? He doesn't know. All he knows is that he has been miserable for far too long to let it just end right here. It can't go that easily- shouldn't go that easily…
And yet, despite that resolution, he actually finds himself taking comfort in her compassion; finds himself feeling better against his will… more alive…
Almost himself again.
He faintly smiles. 'Wow…… It has been a long time.'
Later, as they are about to begin the soldiers’ tour of the facility, Riss approaches a troubled-looking Ethiir. 'Always so hard to understand, this woman!' he thinks, annoyed. He has decided he doesn't much like her (just like that!). Luckily she's almost out of his hair, anyway. "Miss Regal?" he addresses her. She looks up at him. "I think your job here is done. I've arranged for one of the facility transport units to take you back to your…uh- wherever it is you live."
She looks hesitant for a long moment, but finally nods, and then makes her way back to the landing pad.
"You're welcome”, he says to no one, rolling his eyes.
'The camp is, well…very alive to say the least!' Donold thinks. And he isn't just referring to the greenery all around, actually he is referring more to the alive things everywhere: dozens of species of primate- both big and small- locked up in almost every cage throughout the complex, as well as many species of other exotic animals… like vibrant birds, furry dogs, large tiger-cats and other felines. Then there are other, less familiar creatures which none of them recognized, such as, bear-sized iguanas, a golden-furred thing that looks somewhere between a gorilla and an eagle! (You can imagine that, right?) short humanoid creatures encased in armadillo-like coverings, and (this one's my favorite!) giant wasp bugs!
To sum it all up, Captain Len-Quéd wasn't kidding when he said there were other programs going on here. The place is like the Regend and Centrend zoo! And it stinks like a zoo too! Not to mention, somebody should've warned young Jose Phate about wandering away from the group- right underneath a bush full of yellow jackets' nests! Were it not for Roice quickly noticing, and the blinding speed of big Aegis in yanking him out of there- not to even go into Aegis's apparent immunity to bee stings- the kid might not even be alive today!
'Not like we got any thanks from Captain Endre though, for saving his boy's bacon!' Donold thinks crossly, as he rests his back gingerly on the hospital cot beneath him. 'He just grabbed Jose away and followed the remainder of the tour with the lad at a distance. Talk about no respect! Well we're not gonna give any to you either, piglets!' A sharp pain jolts him! "Ow!"
"Don't start, soldier!" the young nurse chides him with a certain softness in her voice, which only annoys Donold all the more as she applies something to his back.
"Look, kid”, he begins. "they're picking out our first training session right now; and the combat scenarios begin in an hour! I'll be hung upside down and called: Fluffy the Little Cub if I'm not gonna be there for it!"
The head physician then enters the medical room examining an x-ray orb he's carrying in his hand, and answers Donold for the irritated nurse. "Well, whatever name you choose to give yourself, Mr. Senetil-"
"That's Master Sergeant to you, Goldfish!"
The doctor grimaces but goes on, "Yes- Master Sergeant, then...I'm still quite afraid that you won't be going on any training exercises any time soon. Here, observe..." He holds the orb over a large, flat, blue light to project its image onto a big window staring out into the jungle.
It is an image of Donold's spine. "Looks good to me”, the Faoe soldier says, examining the red highlighted area. "Not much damage, and it doesn't look too broken."
"If it was any more broken, you'd be dead, Master Sergeant”, he rudely replies. "And this red area here is simply the part of it that we can still save. The remainder of it will have to be regrown."
"But that's most of the spine!" Donold protests furiously.
"82% Mr. Se-...Master Sergeant”, he corrects himself. "And you'll be happy to know that we have the capabilities here to regrow it almost exactly the way it was."
"How crazy-long is that gonna take!?"
"Emm……about six months at the earliest. And I'll need you to be extremely easy on it for the first two years." He holds up the number of fingers.
"WHAAAAAT!!!?" Donold roars, hopping off the cot!
"Nurse, will you please give this man a relaxant shot!" the doctor orders her.
"I'm not taking it easy for two minutes!" Donold continues, heading for the door as fast as his aching back will let him.
The doctor is on him in just a couple of seconds, and tries to hold back the strong Faoeian. "Mr. Senetil, please! Mr. Senetil!" he protests, unable to slow him down even a little bit.
"It’s master sergeant, slim! and if you're coming too, then don't pull so hard! You're messing up my brand-new satin coat!"
After a few seconds the doctor lets go, vexed, and Donold exits to the outside balconies in search of the rest of his party.
By the time he rejoins them the combat scenario is about to commence. A savage-looking, shaggy beast is to be released from somewhere in the lush, tall grass inside a marshy section of the complex, and try to “kill” a woman who “accidentally” walked into his area. She is crossing a boardwalk, only a foot above the water, while carrying a baby in her arms.
Obviously, it is up to the one trainee who gets sent in to neutralize the beast, and do so before she and her infant are savaged; but without the aid of a firearm.
Captain Endre, being the first to volunteer, enters the area at a crouch, armed only with an orange glass short-sword. He approaches the lady slowly, keeping out of sight by staying low in the tall grass. Everyone else watches from atop the dam which is causing the water to pool up in this area.
After a few moments of no activity Lucaus is only about five yards away from her, almost completely invisible behind a tall clump of slimy weeds, and waiting with eagerness for the attack he knows is coming.
His eyes are alert…
All is quiet save for the faint crying of the baby, as his mother stares off into the bushes, not suspecting anything- or so it is meant to seem.
Lucaus shifts for a more ready stance. Still no sound. A few more moments pass by…
Riss whispers to the others. "A desperate situation isn't always predictable. Sometimes an attack comes when you least expect it."
No sooner are the words out of his mouth then a low growl rumbles through the grass, “startling” the lady who looks wildly around…
"FAAAAAAAIIIIIUUUU!" the animal screeches, as it bursts out at her on all fours from only about ten feet away!
Lucaus explodes out of his hiding spot in the same instant, takes two leaping strides, and tackles the woman with his one arm while using his other to bring the sword down heavily on the beast's head- just a split-second before it reaches her!
It drops, and Lucaus even has the presence of mind to catch the baby in his arm when the woman fumbles it in shock!
"Not bad, huh?" Ja-ça ca says to Riss with a smug grin on his face.
"It's a start, number one… and be quiet”, he answers, trying not to look spited. "Now, on to test two, gentlemen. Who'll volunteer for this one?"
"I will, sir”, Shaj Kinnesfield speaks up.
"Good”, Riss says, thumbing the switch on a door which opens into another area. A long tunnelway made of glass, with shiny metal arches holding it all together, lies below. Being part of the apparent 'greenhouse idea' which the designers quickly- although thoroughly- put together, it is filled to capacity with moss-covered trees, weeds, grass, and big, emerald-coloured leaves- phototoxic to the touch.
After handing him the description chip for this test, Riss shows Shaj the ladder leading down into the glass tunnel. The war veteran wastes no time in climbing down to begin his test.
"Hey, Kinnesfield!" Riss shouts after him.
He looks back up.
"One thing you should know before starting… There are two snipers in ghillie suits [Camouflage suits covered in grass and weeds] out there guarding the tunnel. I know these guys personally; they don't take it easy on anybody. They're trying to prove themselves just as hard as you are. So strike them down before they strike you down, understood?"
Shaj gives him a two-fingered salute and then heads in.
"And where are they, then?" Aegis asks analytically.
Riss shrugs, wearing a sly grin.
"We're testing your stealth and reflexes, boys”, Roice points out. "Not to mention how fast you can panic."
Pow!!
The first shot smacks into the tree next to Shaj, causing him to flatten down on the ground!
"They've got him now”, one of the Constellation troopers states. "He's pinned, so they'll just close in for the kill."
"That's what you think, crazy-cousin”, Donold counters. "Big Shaj was just trying to draw them out."
It looks like Donold is right, because right now Shaj is dipping a big leaf into some nearby water and cupping it to collect a small bit. Then, holding it at arms reach, he starts jostling it gently in the sunlight, letting the ensuing reflection dance across the foliage, from bush to bush-
Pow!! Another shot rings out to his left a hundred-or-so feet away, striking the leaf right out of his hand in an explosion of water droplets!
He rolls over quickly to face that direction and opens fire with his thick long-barreled gun, which dumps a good dozen gold laser rounds into the bush…
"H-HOOOOOWW!!" one of the snipers cries out in pain, and drops down a couple of feet out of the bush until the bungee around his waist stops him just short of the ground! He then yanks out a knife and furiously slashes the cord, before settling himself down against the bush and just watches the battle continue, wearing a frustrated look.
Shaj doesn't stop rolling as a hailstorm of green sparks smack the ground he'd been lying upon!
The following four or five thuds distort the sound of distant fire, reverberating throughout the glass tunnel. Shaj’s eyes are darting all around as he slides down into a bushy gully. He can't pinpoint where it's coming from… just that it's somewhere near the far end of the tunnel.
The next few minutes are just a cat-and-mouse game as he sprints out of, then back into hiding, while the sniper fires round after round- only missing by a hair-length sometimes!
All Sgt. Kinnesfield can determine is that the sniper is not far downwind from him, in the bushes somewhere. But where exactly?…… But then an idea hits him! 'Wait…what if the guy isn't on the ground after all? What if he's perched up high in the metal rafters just below the glass roof?’
He peeks out… Bingo! There he is, searching the ground below frantically for any sign of the sergeant.
"Heads up, buddy”, Shaj smiles, pointing his rifle. "You did alright; you found me." He then pulls the trigger…
A single laser emerges from his barrel and strikes the sniper right off of his perch! "YAAAAAAH!!" he screams as he falls toward the earth! His bungee stops him about three feet above the ground. "Blast it all!" he roars in anger.
Shaj salutes again to the group observing above. Riss looks over to Ja-ça. "Ha”, he says, satisfied.
"Hey, I never said I didn't think they're good too!” he protests, pushing Riss with an arm.
"Right. Onto the next”, Riss announces, walking off towards a long bridge overlooking an empty cage. "Mind your step, folks”, he calls back to them. "It may look empty, but this is one cage I sure wouldn't wanna fall into."
He's right; as they peer closely into the thick bushes inside, they spot two eyeless lids staring up at them from atop a mud covered form… barely even visible in its camouflage. It doesn't appear to be half so mentally restricted as most of the other beasts here. For one, because it knows how to stealthily relocate to keep them in sight as they cross above its cage, and two, it doesn't just stare without serious concern, but is rather studying their movements, looking for a means of escape by watching them closely.
"Humph”, Ja-ça snorts. "They weren't exactly an easy bunch to catch. They caused quite a stir on Otonoliss when they stormed us with just a few hundred fighter jets a couple weeks back."
"That doesn't sound like an unmanageable number”, Lucaus comments, looking up at a large battle vessel passing overhead, escorted by at least ten smaller destroyers.
Ja-ça makes a face. "They're one of the main reasons why all of you are here today. They're called Vex warriors- the name's meant for intimidation, no doubt. Out in the stars they were a very real threat to the nature; in here, ahh…not as much; provided everyone keeps their distance- and that goes double for the lad (he nods at Jose).”
Lucaus angrily looks at the back of his head. "Well, you people could have put up some sort of warning sign, on your part!"
"Right; because there are warning signs everywhere on Faoe; I forgot”, is the rude reply.
At the front of the line Riss grins, and turns to Ja-ça as he passes by. "Hey, now”, he chides. “You were the one who wanted them to come along, y'know."
Ja-ça gives him a just slightly amused grin under his brown beard. "Nobody's perfect”, he throws back, much to the captain's merriment. Then, looking back at the group of them, falling just a little behind as their new environment catches their collective eye, he says in a low voice, "They're coming around, Captain; I can see it in their eyes. It's just gonna take some time for them to drop the old hat."
"And probably a lot more training”, he responds.
"You might be surprised on that”, Roice interjects, grabbing one of their shoulders in each hand as he comes up from behind. He then just hangs there, matching their pace.
When he doesn't continue, Ja-ça, rolling his eyes, prods him on. "Oh? Do tell why."
Roice wears a stupid smirk at his hidden thought, just letting the moment last till Riss finally lets out, "Oh, for the love of everything cherishable, Roice! SPEAK, Man; there isn't a knot in your tongue!"
Roice makes a sad, whimpering face, but finally says, "These men are of Faoe. They are the very best in the universe, or you can shave off my shaggy hair! Training will be short, and we'll be heading off into the stars again Very soon." He then double-bops Riss’s shoulder. "Lunch”, he says pointedly.
"No. We'll do two more rounds first”, Riss replies with authority.
"Lunch.” More insistent.
"No."
"Lunch…?"
No answer; he's fighting down a grin.
As they enter the next area, Riss spots someone. He hands the description pad off to Ja-ça with a quick, "Give me a sec!" and runs off before his number one can protest.
It is a woman wearing a long, flowing purple gown, hands resting on one of the guard rails of the cage they just passed through. He sneaks up behind her and puts both hands on her arms. She spins around…
"Riss!" she exclaims. It's his wife, Arma. "I thought you were still at the training facility in Inquina!"
He kisses her cheek. "I just couldn't keep away from you that long, dear”, he says, smiling.
The look on her face shows that she doesn't buy that for a second. "What are you doing here?"
"Ah, the Prime Advocate re-commissioned us to train the boys here”, he replies matter-of-factly.
She looks surprised, and asks, aghast, "He did What?"
Riss is taken a little aback by her response and repeats, "He uh…re-commissioned us to train the boys here…" He frowns at her. "I assumed it was your idea or something… you wanted to be with me a little more- what, with junior comin’ along and all.”
She almost smiles. "Oh, you can be so much like a child yourself sometimes, Riss. Yes, I do want to be around you more; but this facility is not exactly prime ground for a program as extensive as the one your soldiers require. I would not have put my own wishes before the needs of such an important operation."
"Well, I dunno… The organizers here have done an okay job setting stuff up, if you were to ask me”, he replies. "But if you didn't request it, then it could've only been the Prime Advocate himself." He looks confused. "Why…why would he do that?"
"It is because of me, dear”, she responds. "I will explain it to you, if you'll promise me one thing…"
He smiles. His wife always has a weird way of getting her points through to him- one of the many reasons he loves her so much. "Fire away, dearest thing. My promise is always given to you."
"Good. What I want you to promise is that you will stop believing Aszen's lies so much. He manipulates you so easily."
He makes a scowling face at her. "I knew that one was coming. OK, I promise. So can I hear it now?"
"You are more than likely not going to like it”, she says; but continues to tell him anyway of the obvious plot of Aszen and Cavalar.
I’m looking to keep things honest. This most certainly wasn't my best work to date, but it certainly got me off to an entertaining start!
Please enjoy!
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The Warlord Domination, Sovereign Race
कल्पित विज्ञानBefore Earth were the days of the Warlord. Now an official AMAZON KINDLE ebook (also available on various other ebook and paperback sites) 94,000 thousand years ago, in the age of terrifying alien Warlords, humanity struggles to hold back the onslau...
