Leaflet took on fresh scars from battle. Worse ones were sustained in times past, but these were particularly ugly. Lifeforms were the same. Many were injured and deceased by the invaders. Zartzs and the War Troupe walked away, knowing another day would come to effect victory. The Defence Force let them go aware of this fact.
The petals, bound to hover in fortunate flight, formed something of quality and integrity: a massive driveway that looped around the twister after each Architect was turned on. The temporary structure remained constant despite rotational movement.
Parked in front of Grand Station were five hoverbuses full of soldiers with Mezamica Um in charge. Besides the many beings willing to partake in the mission, the storage compartments were stuffed with medicine, clothes and search and rescue equipment. They didn't know how long it would take to get Hahbou back.
The soldiers manning the driver seat got the vehicles moving in a linear formation as they went down. With support crews behind them, they went on their mission of finding Hahbou. Mounted on the dashboards were radar displays to assist their efforts.
And if they were lucky, they would return with an escaped starcraft or two.
* * *
After he left the hospital ward on the third floor of Grand Station, brought down Wixin from rising into the stratosphere, and had a chat with Ral, he returned to his quarters covered in bandages. But considering the socio-economic state of the planet, it was essential.
His mind went back to the talk he and Ral had with Ees over their perspectives towards death. He knew what it meant to Ral’s culture, but civil war supersedes that. All morals should falter in the Midwest of protracted conflict. He made it to his room, comprised of a bog-standard inversion table dotted with red knobs and velcro straps on the sides, a nightstand, shag carpets and a closet in the corner. But the greatest thing about it was the all-encompassing view from the small balcony.
Bright rays gently hit him, the hardwood flooring, and the wrought iron rails for a timeless look. It was well past midday, even though the cumulonimbus clouds didn't help in that determination. He wanted to talk to Ees, his right side being.
Ees, everything's good? Ippe saw him working on a new project. Most of it couldn't fit on the screen generated in Ippe's presence. It had rivets, bolts and welded pieces. This was his way to relieve stress and overcome disappointment—building, fixing, improving and learning.
He halted his work. Yeah, bossman. All good.
I want to talk about my problem. The Defence Force leader became stern. Do I take war seriously?
I believe you do.
I think I get a thrill out of it. It's addictive.
We should've stopped after you let Das die. You knew we had to pull out that day, but you kept pressing forward and that was the result.
I know, He felt regret within. To lose such a valuable warrior brought his head close to Earth in shame. After that, I began to get fed up with seeing skilled warriors dying. That's why we tried to make peace treaties.
It always fall apart though. Ees stated. But we know that not going to happen, it conflict with our primary goal of victory.
Maybe we should consider it again. Ippe adjusted his bandages.
If you want sir. I feel grateful for the opportunity you give me some years ago. I was able to improve so much as a tinkerer.
You have certainly improved, but you do have some ways to go.
Sir, A question came out of him. Why you talking to me? I thought you preferred to talk to Mezamica Um with this kinda stuff.
Well, he left for his mission already so I didn't want to disturb him.
Oh. I didn't know that he had left. But sir, I wanted to ask you about something. What was the thing you were carrying? You don't use weapons to fight. And your eyes as well. It was like staring at a completely different lifeform.
I was like that? I can't recall what happened for most of the battle.
I see. It affects memories.
Did you say something?
I said that the Hospuk affected your memory.
That's an old legend. No one believes that.
But yet I do. I made an inquiry to everyone in the Defence Force if they knew anything about it in detail and only one came forward. It was someone named Roko. I hope that's his correct name. I can get bad with them on occasion. When I explained to him what I saw, he told me about this famed creature. How it had a roar to bend the clouds at its will. And long ago, it was slain by powerful beings from a world strange and advanced, allowing its soul to haunt the skies above Earth, waiting for their return.
Interesting. Did he say any more?
No, that was all he knew. By far the most knowledgeable with this topic. Have to do some research on this creature. He was itching to learn more about what many thought was fiction.
No wonder I felt so bad after the fight. Its power was definitely hard to control. He nodded.
I should let you get back to work, Ees. Best you get to researching the Hospuk.
I will, sir.
SOME DAYS LATER
No matter how strong, valiant, cunning, or lucky, 'retirement’ always came. For Das, this was his time. Ippe had his urn filled with his cremated ashes sent to his home village years ago, but his uniform couldn't retire... until now. The scavengers took everything they could post-battle, leaving him bare to the elements for his colleagues to find.
The Defence Force could finally pay respects now, but not publically. This was a private affair. In his room, Ippe dressed in his finest clothes. He had Das’ uniform in his arms, already laminated in a photo frame, and said these words, "Das, with the Bar Code Identification Number 036765978, by the command of the Supreme General of the Defence Force, you are now retired posthumously." The other two also had their retirements, but public ones. He didn't care for them. They were unknowns that had average careers.
They were part of a large memorial at Grand Station's highest floor called the Wall of the Fallen. Space was running low because of the many killed in action despite it being a huge hallway where each uniform had a lens beneath them to display the face of those deceased. Tall flower vases stood at set places to lighten the sombreness. There was also food, drink, clothes, and even ammunition and firearms as decorations and offerings. This memorial was distant enough from the conflict to not sustain any serious damage.
He placed it on the wall far from his bed and stared at it with a blank expression. Ippe knew he was a prodigy. If nurtured well, he could've helped turn the tide of the Minority War. But what could one do? Misery liked to come hard and fast to destroy hopes and dreams. He sat on his inversion table to imagine the great victories he could've had with Das. That was all he wanted out of him. But he had to move on. The war continued long without him.
Ippe changed into something less sophisticated to not bring suspicion of him having attended a special event. Having meagre soldiers asking him constantly about things that don't pertain to them could ruin one's day.
He went to the war room for his twelve-hour shift. The only thing eventful was the return of Xopip. Several days of difficult searching led to her discovery being wedged in a rock formation. Their wish to capture a starcraft led to nought. Random bits were not worthy to be brought back.
Mezamica Um did well as usual. He deserved to become more powerful. It was rare to have someone so loyal and diligent for so long in the effort to win Earth. He knew his battle potential would blossom soon.
Ippe stared at the screens, making commands when necessary. He did his job as always.
* * *
Well away from Leaflet, and amongst the roses once more, Cascachu had to answer for his transgressions but was unwilling to hear what his leader had to say.
The environment was wide and open—perfect for someone's flaws to be exposed for everyone to witness.
"For needlessly endangering the lives of all those in the War Troupe and for starting an invasion attempt pre-emptively, you should be punished severely." He tried to turn away, but she straightened him out with a yell. "I really do wanna punish you, but I'll give you a pass," She mellowed out. "This is enough of a punishment. Soldiers like you are few in this galaxy.”
"You not serious bosslady," Cassadon had to barge into a scene that had nothing to do with her. "He have to get punished somehow. Is too many times we have to clean up after him."
"You never complain about your own mistakes." Zartzs retorted.
"But at least mine never endanger the group to this degree!"
"Stop raising your voice. You done know my word is final." Everyone, including Cascachu, looked on at the exchange.
"Your word is a set of fucking bullshit. Look at how much resources and beings we lose needlessly because a blind fool like Cascachu can't keep house."
"Damn it, you disrespectful sukek." Zartzs used a curse word in Cardigaul tongue meaning worthless trash.
Even Nem felt offended but she would never be out of order within the presence of her leader. She very rarely ever did so.
Deeli became disturbed by this.
Cassadon took herself out of the argument. At least for now, Zartzs and the argument were dead to her. Home was where she wanted to be. She remembered the first time they helped Cascachu. It was long and difficult. The second was a bit easier. But the third, fourth and fifth? It was almost too much.
Seeing her emotion, and taking note of Cascachu's spotty record, Zartzs's had to punish him somehow.
"Cascachu. As you punishment..."
Cassadon's attention peaked at the sight of this. "You will be demoted to private."
He almost drowned in sadness after hearing this.
"You satisfied now?"
Cassadon felt that it was disingenuous and not harsh enough. She waited for her to transform into her locomotive form to drop everyone off. Home couldn’t come soon enough.
She'll get over it like usual. Zartzs transformed and everyone boarded her, despite not having all her wagons available, she had recovered enough to do so without harming herself.
Each commander occupied a base in a specific geographical region.
Nem dropped off at her dormant volcano base in Duradon.
Cassadon, with anger lingering, returned to her base that was skewered on the tip of a mountain in the Summits.
Zartzs returned to her oceanfront villa at Coastings.
Cascachu had to return to Swampy Swampy feeling downtrodden. The demotion didn't irk him. For his superior to comment on this flaw, however slight, and for another time, wasn't good. He had to be better.
"Don't worry, Cascachu. You'll do better next time. I know you will." Deeli said to him right after Zartzs dropped them off.
"Thanks." He remembered her will to fight during the battle. It inspired him to do better. He HAS to be better.
THANK YOU FOR READING IF YOU REACHED THIS FAR. IF YOU LIKE THIS AND OTHER CHAPTERS, FOLLOW, LIKE, SHARE, COMMENT, AND ADD THIS BOOK TO YOUR LIBRARY FOR MORE BATTLES BEYOND. MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER STORIES AS WELL.