Mizti authored by Jim. 2003 2004. Mizti is based upon the game Wulfram II, all characters are taken from real players names. Mizti also praises ‘Snoopy’s Book’, following themes and events from his work.   Jim: [email protected]   This piece is read under the condition that neither it, nor none of its parts shall be used in any other reproduction or circulation without the author’s permission.     To the dedication of the real Kayleigh, may she ever keep inspiring me.           Monkey n any of the primates except man and the lemurs esp the smaller, long tailed primates; a mischievous child; (Sl) £500 or $500. *vi (Monkeying, monkeyed) (inf) to play, trifle, meddle, or to sit and shoot a target repeatedly with missiles.   *Geddes & Grosset, English Dictionary(Scotland, 1996)

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Epilogue.

 

Years had passed since the battle between the BlackDragons Of War backed creatures and the clans.

Many things had altered, and differed, some for the worse, some for the better.

Erida was now amidst chaos. Two years after, lead by the leader Slurpy; the clans came together, and formed one social Empire, and overthrew the unjust, corrupted system which held Erida at the time.

For many years, people lived happily, until one night, in secret, there took place a meeting, a meeting of the most powerful dark fighters in the land.

It was their decision that they would want to seize control of the new Empire, while still in its early infancy. And too, they set out to assemble a force great enough to become recognised as a power.

Day by day, more people joined their cause, and soon enough, they had their army, almost twenty thousand strong, strong enough to appose that of Slurpy. The fighters also visited the church, passing out of Erida, past the wall, and sought out their blessing.

When the church asked what grounds he may want to carry out the dirty task, they bribed the chaplaincy with considerable funds. It was enough to get the just cause on their side.

Wracked with guilt, the chaplaincy who accepted the offer sent out a messenger swiftly to warn Slurpy of his actions, but it was too late.

Riding into battle with the crest of the church on their side, they had taken Slurpy by surprise. It was no time at all until only a handful of the men stormed their way up to his chambers and took him that he was cut from his rule.

One of the dark fighters, Yoshimutsu greedily took control with no regret. All records of his predecessor were destroyed. He sealed dictatorship as he ordered factories and work houses be erected on every square foot of usable land to make his war machines. He pampered those close to him, but when the people tried to revolt, he simply used his force to implement martial law. He paid his soldiers greatly with the dirt of his newly taken Empire.

 Yoshimitsu only had eyes for one thing, dominance. Complete world dominance. It was this which eventually game him his current ache.

He ordered posts on the great wall. He erected a prohibited zone for miles around it. He had all the towns and villages in that zone ransacked, and burnt to the ground. He imprisoned their villagers, and set them to work in his factories.

All ties with the world were cut off, and Erida was plunged into a dark transformation. What was once a bright joyful place, was almost at once transformed into a desolate, unnatural infinite span of buildings. Pollution darkened the sky above them, rain constantly fell, dirty rain, the air was hot with the acrid taste of oil and steel.

This continued, as was the way for many years, until one night in ship factory hanger, close to the mountains of Ronin, there started a new form of power. There was a fight between a soldier and a prisoner, but the prisoner had gotten the best of the man, and soon he had armed himself, word had gotten wind to the other prisoners,  and soon, the man some had taken out more guards. With the factory being so secluded, there was great shortage of fighters to make sure the prisoners were under control. But one by one, the man kept taking them out, gathering the weapons as he went, and also, more importantly, the other prisoners. One by one his force grew, soon, they outnumbered and out gunned the remaining number of soldiers, who surrendered, and then were killed.

A ship had been completed in the factory the noble ship Beaux, and as fortune would have it, so were many boxes of cargo. So manually, the people deployed a number of sky pumps, then loaded the large amount of other cargo into the ship. They had little time, but some people managed to run back to retrieve from their halls what little possessions they had.

With the sky pumps in place, they warped deeper into the Ronin Mountains, hiding there. An old style cloaking device was fashioned from one of the older scouts, and soon enough there were attacks on more northern bases and cities. Again, another hanger was attacked, and the prisoners freed. Another ship was taken, the righteous and powerful Llandudno, and with that, the small force fled back to the mountains of Ronin.

Once Llandudno had been also fitted with the cloaking device, there were simultaneous raids. Prisoners were freed, and cargo were captured.

Soon the rebels took to one single name for themselves, fashioned only from memory of years past when clans ruled the lands; The Light Cavalry division.

Their forces grew more and more each day as they raided randomly towns, cities, and factories, taking everything they could.

The Empires system was slowly faltering as ships disappeared, as did the workers from it’s factories. Yoshimitsu ordered the destruction of their forces, but with cloaking devices on their ships, and dark lights disguising their base units in Ronin, they were undetectable to the vast Empires network. Soon the rebels were forced to build their own town for the over populated capacity of the ships.

It was to be known as Ronin, a city underground, buried deep within the mountains. It was a glorious effort. People worked constantly, until almost a year later, with what little equipment they possessed, they completed their task, and soon settled.

Something was still not right though, they lacked the power to act, raiding for resources was easily done, but they needed planning. The rebels were led by the higher thought of ones among them. They finally decided that they would require help in order to get anywhere. So a massive effort was constructed, all resources and all man power went into re-fitting both the Beaux and the Llandudno, both martyr ships, seen to resemble the total power they now held. The ships were transformed from that of the standard Empire control ship, to all out ships of war. Their hulls were implemented with heavy guns, and flak turrets, all re-designed to fit the side of the ship, and to be just as automated.

The word at the time was, that the great powers, who controlled the clans were still alive, and locked away deep in the depths of some of the great camps that the Empire held. They dared not to turn a blind eye on what used to be the great leaders. Each was held deep in the depths of the largest camp to the north of Tron.

Using their other ships as bait, the rebels warped, and secured all the bases around the camp, taking a circle of defence that wouldn’t last for long. But before the Empire even knew what was happening, the Beaux and the Llandudno opened their flaming conduits and materialised high above the fortress, and instantly, their guns blazed, sending chunks of brickwork, and within five minutes, both ships released so much firepower in a bombardment that the ground shook and crumbled with the energy for miles around.

     

Everything was silent. To our surprise, the fortress hadn’t fought back. Both ships then cloaked, and dropped their new weapon; the auto loading cargo.

 Two single dots fell through the sky and landed with a thud down against the smouldering ruin.

 The first to operate itself from the cargo was the Power cell. The box blew open and hissed, releasing it’s contents, small robotic forms pieced the cell together. Then next, the other crate hissed for a moment, and instead of blowing open as the Power cell did, this unfolded, into one rectangular formation. Robotic arms appeared at both ends and started to build the shape upwards, until finally, there cast against the fire, stood one magnificent Repair pad.

Instantly tanks materialised of course, and forces appeared in the transporting rooms which were housed in it’s centre back in those days. They all spewed out like a plague over the ashes of the fortress. And from then on, it couldn’t have gone better.

                                                Nikolai, The capture of Fort Belmarsh.(Sandsto, 2243)

 

            Now their attack was almost complete. From sources they found out that the leaders where being held cryogenically in storage in the lower levels, far beyond that of where the bombardments had hit.

Driven by the thought of what they could be come, they stormed deeper, the tanks and scouts blasting holes down into the lower levels. Civilians adorned as soldiers were mixing with those of who were in the struggle to free the Nine, as the leaders were called affectionately. People battled, some lost their lives, others took rage by this, and fought blindly through arrogance, if the numbers weren’t in their favour, they would have lost through stupid ness and ignorance for sure.

But eventually, the people’s efforts paid off. With a short blast of a pulse shot, a door was thrown open, and molten steel fell from the gaping sides of where the door once stood. Slowly, the first, and most powerful of the fighters stepped in, they almost cried with joy as people turned around and ordered for nine capsules to be loaded into the tanks.

Within minutes they were loaded, and tanks were charging back the way they came, people too.

All made it back to the repair pads, except one. One of the tanks holding one of the pods was taken down by the last of the forts defences. It was a sad moment for the people. All the rebel forces also fell back form the positions they had on the surrounding bases, not before that is, setting the auto-destruct sequences.

 

Soon after, the eight capsules were activated using a method of which Dr. Death, the most respected technician of bio-stasis had derived as, he had helped create these pods in the beginning, and once more, the ten awakened, and walked among the world.

 

Twenty five years on, and the eight had in fact have had a massive influence. With the small group of rebels, they had raided, pillaged, and grown stronger. They had even taken the Midlands from the Empire, so much so that all the land below the north neck had fallen from their grasp.

There was much dispute among the rebels and the leaders for what the land should be used for, then eventually, the plan came that they would split themselves and become factions and follow the leaders which they would think best suited them.

 The first to announce their faction was the leader Jawz, who would lead the mighty Ultimate Assassins. Next came Yoyo, of The Twelve Monkeys, who would lead the most mischievous, and over skilled. ReyMisterio then stepped forward and announced his faction of soldiers; The Dead Rabbits.

Two of the leaders were old now, but with that age, came knowledge, and great skill. It would be with them where the scientist’s and scholars would go, as-well as some of the higher respected rebels. The Canine patrol, lead by the artistic Tervuren who also ran the Cidium Fatum faction.

One leader, Robert, formed a faction of mercenaries called Hudsons Hawks.

All three of the Canine Patrol, the Cidium Fatum and Hudsons hawks, gained the protection of the Ultimate Assassins.  There was the situation of Xempy and Khadgar, they wanted none of the responsibility, so they joined Robert in Hudsons Hawks, and went under his leadership.

The final one to step forwards was the female leader Tinkerbell. There were many women in the rebellion who wanted their chance to fight, to show themselves as a power. So with this force, she formed the faction; Women at War.

 And so the factions were born.

 

                                   

 

 

 

Lights were humming inside the waiting area. Mizti’s eyes were glancing over the map, looking at the statistics of the area beneath Kestrel.

Kestrel was the newest ship to enter the disputed area for the Women at War, her crew new, and inexperienced.

The humming light from the map-screen traced Mizti’s face, while her fingers softly ran across its surface.

     A small sigh gently parts her lips, as she looks to the timer - thirty five seconds to go. Her hand raises from the map screen and her fingers tuck around the back of her helmet. Several small clicks are the only indication that a number of keys are pressed on a rear panel designed neatly into the underside of her helmet, which then cause small triggers of life to erupt and send, and add further whirring atmosphere out into the dark waiting area.

The girls head dips as she enters the transporting module, which appeared more like a booth then anything else. She fixes her herself up, turning around, while placing both feet onto the  dimly lit pad.  Her breathe thins and lessens, a single hand meets to her helmet once more, pressing keys. Another click and whirr later, and a small lens slowly glides down before one eye. A moment passes before a display blinks into life against the tinted transparent lens. Short series of static like shocks erupt against her body, inside the couplings of her body suit, signs that the helmet’s health analysis system was underway. Raising her eyes, they glance upon the displayed timer fixed inside the wall of the booth, which was still, despite what she would have liked it to be doing, counting down – Ten seconds. Shaking, her hand slides the glass door of the booth shut.

Eye lids meet together tightly in a rush of panic, so much that her nose crinkles as the muscles in her face contort, her body braces as the humming from the opposite side of the glass fills her ears, this was always the worst part. One of Mizti’s ears cock to the sound of a series of beeping, ringing out of the waiting room. With a crackle, the ear piece comes to life, and echoes the already beeping in her ear, as the system continues counting down to a state of readiness.

 One beep: Mizti’s front teeth dig into her lip.

 Two beeps: her fists ball up tight.

Three beeps, a small anxious whimper bounces off the innards of her throat.

The fourth beep sent a sudden urge of nausea rocketing from her gut, to the back of her throat, but then finally – the fifth beep – The counter had reached zero. Her body seemed to freeze, frustrated whimpers rang through her gritted teeth – Suddenly, and with an air of wanting to act quickly, with one last draw of her breathe, her head lolls forwards, while the contortion of her flares. Violently, her arm thrusts out, breaking through air to the right side of her body. Her fist shortly is found interrupted from the quick flight, viscously slamming a large button impaled on a lit up panel to the right of her. So great was the impact of her clenched fist,  that it made her stumble to the left, but she immediately shifted her feet to counter for the lost balance.

A gentle wave of crystal blue energy pulse from two body length ports on either side of the girl’s body, then, after a few moments, begins to shine brighter, and brighter, until it finally erupts. Air escapes from Mizti’s lungs, chiming her voice box, ebbing out a high pitched wail. The energy spreads the height and length of the booth, coating and passing straight through,  every space, drenching each and every cell and molecule of her body with its power. Seizing up, amid the warm energy,  the drenched molecules seem to crystallise, each cell containing it’s own information, and reference number, like one giant coded map. She no longer moved, but stood still like the form of a statue, though her conscious state still lingered somewhere among the energised mass.  The molecules then begin to disperse, each cell parts and disbands from the mass that was once a body,  and deluge out of the booth through vent type shafts in the walls. The molecules then are sent softy through filtered blocks, which process the matter through a light capturing device, which then reforms the molecules into a form which the computer system on board Kestrel is able to understand, and work with. Through the seemingly endless BUS structure of the ship, the information then projects itself not into another area of the great intricate systems, which at first glance appears to the conscious mind in the system as a large black area, filled with memory. From there, with the information gathered and grouped together, it moves on to another area of the ship, the Transport Refining Aerial Node Systems Cannon, or the TRANS-Cannon for short.

Down on the ground, Winterheart was leaning against her Tank, her eyes were staying from Turrets to a lone powered down scout. Humming from a near by Repair Pad sent gentle soothing waves of content ness, a form of knowing that one is safe in their nest to speak, from the outside Vulchers that may pray on younger victims. Fingertips dragged against her forehead and catch loose strands of her bright blonde hair, only to anchor them back behind her ears. A brow perks as she hears a familiar crackle. Her body twists as she stares at the bright blue manifesting energy on the Repair pad. A grin spreads across her face as she watches the ports on either side of the open module create the form of a body. A few seconds later, the crisp energy had dissipated, and Mizti was left standing, slightly crooked, staring out sickly at Winterheart from behind a plane of glass. Her face looked pale as she stood silently, staring out through her tinted screen.

 Winterheart turned around again to find, beaming, Tinkerbell, looking down on them both. Her presence was almost motherly to the squad, and with that presence came a reassurance that nothing in the world could possible go wrong as long as this being was around.

 “ Not again.” She watched as she laughed and rolled her eyes.

 At that point, Mizti stumbled from the module, eagerly sliding the glass pane to one side.  Before pausing for a moment, her legs gave way from the nauseating feeling welling deep in her gut, and fell straight over onto all fours. It was only a mere second later the threw up. Both Winterheart and Tinkerbell winced and turned their heads.

 “ They should just kick her out of the ship onto a mattress, it would be less work for the cleaning staff, and we could actually speak to her for five minutes after she comes down. mumbled Winter sardonically.

 Tinkerbell laughed, then turned her head back towards Mizti, but soon found she had to turn her head away once more.

Tinkerbell looked up and around the base. This was the newest base the Squad had created, closer to the enemy, it was large and could defend itself against most skirmishes, with dozens of Gun turrets, and Flak turrets alike that would warn off the majority of the attackers. The area was populated by Dark-Lights, which covered the entire structure of turrets, pads, Power Cells, launchers and most of all Tanks from enemy radar. The Dark-Lights only had a limited range, so they couldn’t fully cloak Tanks and Scouts outside their radius, but it was good enough. They had managed to populate a small valley and remain hidden entirely. But even this didn’t stop the enemy from attacking.

  It was mid-day in Erida, the warm heat was gently melting patches of ice and snow on hill sides.

Eventually Mizti calmed, and her mess was tended to. “ It feels like it takes part of me with it every time I travel through that bloody system.” She grumbled in her strong, still nauseated upper-class variety of accent.

“It did…” mocked Winter “ But it’s all right, I think the cleaners my find it all soon …”

“Oh, funny.” winced Mizti, you should be a comic with that wit.

“Well, someone around here has keep everyone’s spirits up around here.” Said Tinkerbell with a grin, finally finding the courage to look in Mizti’s direction.

It was true, all around they met with glum faces that past them. The ‘Women at War’, or WaW for short was one of the longest surviving clans in Erida, and one of the most put on by fighting, constantly fighting wars on all fronts.

The morale of the base was low, they only had the two ships, the Talbot and her new sister ship The Kestrel. Both crews were working as hard as they could, creating new turrets, dark-lights, and other base items, though it was hard working on the limited power supply of the one Sky-pump, which lay thousands of feet below.

It was only a few moments after the three had become relaxed, that suddenly a Flak Turret near by recoiled as is forcefully propelled three shells in a wide spread out over to one side of the base, sending with it a high pitched siren to the base. All three instantly frowned and jumped to their feet running the directions of their tanks. Tinkerbell and Winterheart leapt into their cockpits, as Mizti dragged herself up into the helm of her Scout. All three beasts roared into life, lifting from the ground. First went Mizti towards the direction of the shell firing. Both Tinkerbell and Winter followed.

“Be careful…I don’t know how many there are.” Hailed Winter over the com.

“I have the long map up, and I can’t see anyone there. They must have landed…” Shouted Tink.

 “ I don’t have anything on radar either..” Returned Mizti as she approached the edge of the valley.

It was true, nothing was on her radar – But the flak had to be firing at something. All three switched views of the terrain instantly. There was a large drop downhill bordering the opposite face of the steep bank before them. Mizti turned about, to face and target the Flak turret that sent out the primary pulse shells. With a roar of the tanks engine, the tank swerved on the spot using it’s hover pads to face around once more to face the hill. She scanned her eyes over the range arc which the turret had. The hill was just out of range.

“It’s possible they went into the arc without realising and then backed up and hid on the hill face.” Called out Winterburn, having also estimated the distance between the hill and the Flak.

“Stop sitting and surrender!” called Tink to the enemy tank as she joined with Mizti closing in on the hill.

There was no response. Winterheart also joined them at the foot of the bank.

“ We’ll have to rush them. “ Winterheart said wearily . “Stay put Mizti in case there’s too many to handle.”

A frown crinkled her forehead and nose. “Fine.”

Tink raised her tank from the ground. “ Ok, on the count of three..”

“Three!” Shouted Winterheart with a sneer

“Go!” Laughed Tink with a large grin.

Both tanks took to the air, engaging their jump-jets, and leapt over the hill face. There was silence.

“What? Damn it! No one’s here.” Spat Winterheart.

But then! Sudden blasts of bullets piercing metal screamed out from the opposite side of the hill face.

“Mizti!” Both called out simultaneously.

Both tanks charged towards the hill, their jump jets, not yet charged.  Before they could reach it though, Mizti’s scout came careening over the top of the hill followed by a stream of smoke. Mizti’s voice came bellowing through the com, “ There’s two tanks! I’m okay!  I just took a few hits, nothing bad, obviously, I couldn’t see who they were though!”

There sure enough had appeared two dots on the radar, both on the opposite side of the hill. The flak had commenced firing upon them again, but it was doing little good. Even over the radar you could see them evading every pulse shell. Both Tink and Winter engaged their re-charged jump jets and hauled themselves over the hill. Both were almost instantly met with pulses, but luckily they had leapt from impact area where both pulses collided and exploded into the ground, sending chunks of sod and earth left right and centre.

Tink landed, and swerved her tank around, sending her own pulse right and true at the left tank which was standing side on to her, desperately trying to get her back in his cross hairs. She watched with a slight form of pleasure as the pulse tore away the rear of the craft, sending shards of molten steel out in every direction.

 Mizti then appeared over the hill again, and target what was left of the Tank, and enabled her repair cannon; A bright coloured beam erupted from the mounted cannon above the cockpit, it also travelled true, straight through the front of the tank remains, then started the extraction of what ever little health was left from the pilot, before she could finish though, the fuel suddenly ignited, blowing the front remains completely away, again showering the area with molten chunks of debris. The last tank turned tail, and ran, instantly all three targeted the vessel and pursued. Both Tink and Winter unleashed their auto cannons, tearing into the rear of the tank, where as Mizti ran along side the fleeing vessel, and then again began to harvest the pilots health into her own system with the repair cannon. Soon enough, from ill health of the pilot and the damage inflicted, the tank began to sway and loose control. Finally with a small explosion, either Tinkerbells, or Winters stream of bullets managed to take out the tanks propulsion. The thrusters gave in, the hover pads too then failed, and the tank fell and grinded to a halt across the grassy plain. There was a long pause, all cannons stopped firing, for a moment there was more silence. “ Take out it’s cannons, the last thing we want is for it to attack unexpectedly.” Called Tink.

Both Winter and Mizti nodded, then all three commenced firing at the disabled tank. They watched as both Winters and Tinks Auto cannon, and Mizti’s Chain-Gun tore through the armaments, sending guns  and defences falling from the system.

After the tank was finally disabled, Tink and Winter left their tanks, and blew off the hatch to the enemies and forced out the un-surprisingly un-conscious pilot. A frown took both their features into a contorted twist.

“We’re not going to be able to get anything out of him.” Said Winter.

“We’d better send him up to Kestrel and send him into the brig, someone else can question him..” replied Tink.

Both their ears prickled as they heard the scout behind them land, Mizti then jumped from the cock pit, by placing one hand on the edge of the area and catapulting herself from helm, straight to the floor. She landed on two feet, but stumbled a little as she landed.

“ What was with you and the repair cannon anyway?” Murmured Winter questioningly, while sighing exasperatedly, looking down at the pilot.

“ I needed to gather some health in the repair cannons, you never know when you’re going to need it.”

“ Look who’s talking, your scout took a turn for the worst…” Added Tink.

“ Pfft, it’s nothing that a Repair Pad won’t fix…” Smirked Mizti.

“ Listen to the little wonder -The day you get good at fighting is the day we win the war…” Sighed Winter as she collapsed against her tank and slid to the grassy floor. Mizti stood and blinked a little, tilting her head with her eyes fixed. Tink closed her eyes and turned around climbing up onto the top of her tank wanting to have nothing in the matter.

“You don’t think I can fight?” Said Mizti confusedly.

“Lets just say we’re glad you’re just the medic.” Winter breathed as she let her head fall. One leg drew up to her body and an arm drapes out to meet it with an embrace.

“I fight to! I’m not just a medic…” Whimpered Mizti as she looked at the floor.

“We’re always having to save you, you should just keep at a distance..”

“ I can’t keep at a distance, not while you’re going off and getting yourself almost killed!” Shouted Mizti as she raised her voice and frowned.

“I don’t need some little girl medic fighter wanna’be to protect me!” Growled Winter, just as equally loud.

Mizti stood and stared, dumbfounded at Winters attitude, then turned on her heels and marched back to her scout. Winter just sat and watched as Mizti leapt back into her cock pit and closed the hood. Winter raised her head, then pushed herself up and ran towards the scout.

“Mizti, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to….”

  It was too late, before she could continue, Mizti had engaged the engines of the scout, and swung herself around, heading off, sending a hard burst of draught behind her which almost sent Winter backwards, but instead, she leaned into the force, gritting her teeth at the momentary push, then jogged up to the top of the hill, then stopped to take a breathe.

“Leave her…” Frowned Tink, suddenly advancing on Winters heels. “I don’t see why you always have to put her down. – She idolises you.”

“She idolises you, you mean.” Growled Winter again as she made her ways back down to the foot of the hill by Tinks tank.

“We’re the closet to family she has.” Tink said under her breathe as her eyes gaze to one side, her mind obviously rolling into deep thought.

It was sometime before the two got back to the base, they found Mizti sitting in her repaired scout, on the plateau overlooking the valley base. Quietly, Winter dismounted her controls and jumped from her Tank. It was a ten minute walk to the ledge.

Still hushed, Winter placed herself solemnly beside the scouts cockpit and throws her gaze out over the base with Mizti, who with still being in the cockpit, was a few feet higher then Winter .

Winters eyes shut slowly, and with that, her neck gives way to her head bowing forward in a respectful manor. “ I’m sorry I was so harsh..”

Mizti, still frowning and staring ahead too, nodded. “ It was the truth, I get in the way, and I can’t fight.”

“You will one day, you shouldn’t worry about it.”

Mitzi’s teeth sank deep into her lower lip again, but then her eyes peeked down to Winters motionless posture. “ I’ll keep my distance from now on.”

 The Dark Lights below that protected the base from enemy detection formed over it in its radius, a dome of dark energy, and as it met and conjoined with another, it gave off the appearance of bubbles, resting on a bath of water. A warm glimmer from the above setting sun couldn’t be helped but be taken in as it bounced off the matter of the dark lights field.

“You don’t have to, I was just mad when I said that.”

“Why?” Blinked Mizti.

“I don’t know why, I think I was just upset I didn’t get a kill, it all seemed to be you and Tink…” Sighed Winter.

“Why did you want to kill them? I don’t like killing them, I don’t like killing anything infact.”

“When you get the hunger for fighting like I have, you’ll understand. If you don’t kill them, They’d just be as happy to kill you, or someone you care about. So in a way, it fills a satisfaction inside you, knowing that if you hadn’t have killed them, they’d be back to kill someone I care about. That’s why I do it, to protect others.”

Mizti paused and looked back down at the glimmering energy, being made warm by the rays of the harmonious golden sun above. Why would anyone want to die? Why would anyone want to kill? Her head swerved down to Winter, who seemed un-noticing that Mizti was so blatantly staring, or just didn’t care. Was Winter as blood-hungry as she said she was? Mizti could sense something laying beneath that tough fixed exterior of emotions and narcissistic thoughts. Something repressed, something hidden. Before she could open her mouth, a voice crackled into life over the com in the scout, it was Snow, a member of WaW around the same age of Mizti.

 “ Hey, are you there?! Where are you?! Do you know what time it is?! We do have to patrol here you know!”

Mizti looked down instantly to the speaker to one side of her controls. With eyes fixed, she stared, then formed an odd noise to symbolise her confusion.

“Hello?!” Chirped Snow again.

Finally Mizti was pulled back out of her thoughts, and found herself placing a hand to the com button.

“Okay, okay, I’m here..” She called in return to snow.

“Finally! Come on! I bet you’re on your stupid little hill again aren’t you? Get down here before we get into trouble!”

With  a glance down to Winter, who then could almost sense the eyes this time, looked up and nodded to her and after a few seconds, added a shy smile. Mizti took this as a sign, and then hit the com button again. “ ..I’m on my way down; I’ll be with you in a second.”

She looked down at Winter again, who motioned her head to go. “I’ll stay here for a while, just go.”

They both stared for a moment before the com fizzed into life once more.

“Be sure you do! Meet me at the second Re-fuel pad in C5! And be quick about it, you know how I feel about scouting this close to the Empire!”

With that, Mizti turned back down to Winter, who was already waving with two fingers over the side of her shoulder while staring out to the view. Her head was bowed, and her eyes closed. Feeling un-able to say anything, Mizti’s fingers found themselves already on the buttons to close the hatch, and with a flick they were down instantly. Before she could think about what she was doing, the scout had already risen with a groan from the ground, the pads enabled and sending mass waves of air and wind in all directions below her tank. Winter stumbled slightly, but soon regained her composure and stood up straight a few feet away. Mizti backed the scout up, then pushed the power to it’s maximum. She was off, like a shot, off the side of the plateau. The hover pads burned furiously below her tank, and sent her in a gentle gliding fall down towards the base.

 

 

                                             

It was a cool night in Erida, and the watch was going slow for the two scouts. Mizti was trailing behind Snow as they went over a ridge, then a hill, then ducking around another hill, then gliding down another ridge, only to turn and go around it, and so it went on for hours and hours. Not like anything interesting ever happened on Watches, they were just safety measures to ensure that there were no hidden tanks, scouts, or even bases laying around the proximity of their new base.

   The Watch has been going on for weeks now, and there was nothing more tedious then scouting. Mizti longed for the days of being more then an on-site medic, and part of the watch, she wanted to be up there, with the big elites who drove tanks, and fought, and always came out winning. She always found her mind wanderings at nights like this, why couldn’t she be then she is now? Why? Over and over she asked herself. She often felt like trying to talk to Snow if the scout, always before her, but how could she? Unless they got out of the Scouts and did it, and she doubted that either of them did. They couldn’t have general discussions over the com, they were recorded and monitored by a moderator, in some room, in some portion of the new base, who for all Mizti knew, could be sitting, just as bored, just as passionate to be something better.

     The world around the tank seemed to just blur by in a same old mass of colour., every piece as memorable to Mizti as the next. Snow seemed to sway lightly before her as she sat in her usually semi-alert state, then she ducked behind a hill, instantly, Mizti followed, turning her Scout neatly in the same direction.

Flashes of thought filled her head as she let her hands relax on the controls, how it would be like to stand side by side with both Winter and Tinkerbell, as an elite force, facing the enemy, all her tanks bays packed full with missiles and caltrops – the flying mines, which home in and chase tanks, then explode on impact. Images of greatness playfully jumped through her consciousness, joining with the thought, images of how her tanks Auto-cannon would tear through all the apposing teams, how every pulse would land true to every mark. Then after all of this, she, along with Winter and Tinkerbell, would stand victories among the slain debris’s of enemy, and breathe in the scent of power, people in scouts around her, calling her name with pride; “ Mizti! Mizti! Mizti!” – With a loud crash, her mind plummeted back to reality. She looked desperately around. Snow was no longer in front of her, instead, there was a dark bleak dead of night sky, glimmering over the horizon of a hill her scout had begun to climb. She looked at the radar, almost at the same time as the com crackled into life.

“Mizti!” The voice over the com shouted again. It was Snow, she sounded desperate.

   She was no longer on her radar. Fearful, she landed, to hide herself from the enemy’s sight, then switched to the long map and looked in the area around her. Suddenly, there she was! She was being chased closely by two scouts. Mizti seemed to pause for a moment, while her mouth hung open. How could she be so stupid? This was why it was provocative for two people to Scout on the Watch! With force, she powered her Scout up fully, twisting herself around perfectly one hundred and eighty degrees. Then with a sudden blast of dirt and flying rocks, her Scout shot off towards her targeted fellow squad member. She was almost one and a half kilometres away, again she thought, how can she be so stupid.

  Her eye flicked up over the green tinted eye piece of her visor. She was fully loaded with her four Piercer missiles, for this she cursed and held back the thought that the Tank could hold a massive eleven Piercers. Still, she pressed on. Snow was just over a kilometre away now. Just a few more seconds and her attackers would be on screen. Snow seemed to be doing well to evade the enemy.

Mizti’s hand managed to find the com button in her state of panic.

“ What are they?!”  She demanded in a fluster while leaning forwards in a vane attempt to go faster.

“Two scouts and a tank!” Shouted Snow after obviously waiting for a gap in which to communicate.

There! A blue dot just coming onto her radar! She hit target, finding it to be one of the scouts, it had stopped, maybe she’d caught it just as it landed, it didn’t seem to be moving.

Repeatedly her eyes scanned over her fuel consumption, she was nearing her three-quarter way point now, her scout was moving fast. The dot moved closer and closer to her as she charge, pushing the last percentage of speed up its maximum. Finally, the tank was within her guns range, five hundred and fifty meters. Just one thing lay between them now, a single hill, which the scout had obviously perched on.

Snow was on her radar now too, as was the tank and the second scout. The tank seemed to be lagging behind though, leaving both Snow and the pursuer to go it alone. She’d have to act fast, maybe the Tank would spot her sooner then she’d liked.

 Instead of going up the hill, her Scout swerved, taking the hill side on.

  Diagonally up the hill she went, hoping to cause some confusion to the scout below on the opposite side. Soon she was at the top, staring down at the turning scout. She charged, fast and lethal. She opened up her cannons with the cross hair dead centre to the target, then followed her repair beam, aimed at the pilot, slowly as she rushed, her repair cannon charged with the stolen health.

   She ran towards them, her scout tilted down to keep the cross hair in alignment with the enemy, watching as the shots tore straight through the framework of the robust vehicle. The health of the enemy was rapidly going down too, she could see by the estimated bar beside the cross hair. Finally, just as she was about to pass overhead, she jammed buttons simultaneously, unleashing one after another a flurry of  her Piercers,  which all but one found their mark as they rocketed from their holsters in the bays of her scout. A moment seemed to pass as she flew over. Then behind her, a flash of light erupted, shaking her Scout from side to side, sending it dipping further forwards, then back again, until the tip of her Scout was almost vertical.

Her eyes slammed shut as she pushed her body forwards against the ‘U’ shaped steering system, similar of that to a civilian plane. She felt resistance for a moment, until her scout levelled, and she pulled herself into the back of her eat.

 She swung herself around again, looking to where the scout had been, but now just saw a mass of molten metal and chards of falling material.

“Only if the Tankers could see me now” She thought as she looked up to her fuel – which was almost depleted. She looked up to her missile load – One left. Things weren’t seemingly good as she looked to her radar. The Tank that hadn’t been able to keep up with Snow had now fallen back for her. But luck was in sight, she switched views of her radar to inspect the terrain. The Tank was behind a hill, and Snow was diagonally away from her, meaning she could easily avoid the tank.

Now applying the most fuel consumption possible to her acceleration, the Scout shoots from it’s position, diagonally away from the Tank, and towards Snow and her pursuer.

“Snow, bloody tell me you’re still there!” Mizti called over the com.

“Just get here you fool!”   Shouted Snow just as equally loud.

“Try to come back to me! I’m low and fuel!”

“Fine! Just meet me half way, I didn’t see that Tank! It came from nowhere!” Snow grumbled and winced as the scout behind her engaged it’s own repair cannon, then began to extract health from her body.

“Are you Okay?!” Mizti called again., rocketing towards her more and more.

   There was no response. Snow had come onto her radar, she just had under half her health. The scout behind her though had full, but to be chasing Snow at that speed as well as having its repair beam engaged must mean that it’s fuel mustn’t be looking good, and obviously it must be nearing to slow down.

  Snow appeared over the horizon., less then three hundred meters away. Soon enough Snow had  almost passed, and giving that the range of the repair cannon was around five fifty meters, the following Scout shouldn’t be too close behind.

 Mizti’s brows furrowed as the Scout soon came into her field of vision. She landed, to conserve and build as much energy as possible.

  The scout came onto her radar, meaning it was roughly almost into targeting range, she looked at her fuel, almost half full. A little longer, and finally, it had come into targeting range, which Mizti hen did, as almost second nature. It was now or never. Again she looked at her fuel, three quarters full – The same amount as she had when she faced the scouts fellow team mate, although this time she only had the one Piercer.

“Did this guy shoot anything at you?” Mizti suddenly spoke over the com to Snow.

“One Piercer, it almost hit too.” Breathed Snow as she came around the side of Mizti now, sounding relieved that the odds were in her favour for the time-being. 

With that, all Mizti could think of doing was charging. Faster and faster she applied speed towards the chasing enemy, and again, once more, she saw a scout facing her, coming closer and closer by the second. Instantly, like she had the last, she opened with her gun and repair beam, eating the health from the pilot, while tearing holes in the scouts frame at the same time. But this time, the scout was doing the same thing…

   A warm glow took over her body as she saw the light penetrate the front of her screen. It felt as if she were an anchor to a great ship. As the scout passed, her body swayed, and her gun silenced, as did the enemies.

   From somewhere she found it in herself to turn, and face again the enemy that was drawing from her, her own health. Her lip sank deep into her skin, as again she unleashed a wave of bullets upon the framework of the Scout. She felt deep down a sense of wanting to pay the pilot back, pay them back for the feeling that they’re driving into the heart of her soul.

  Finally, the cross hairs of her targeting system re-aligned with the Scout, and her Repair-cannon unleashed it’s wave once more. A cool feeling of relief passed over her mind, although she still felt like she was being pulled every which way by the enemies repair beam. 

 It felt as if her life force was being drained, her power, her energy, wants and needs were some-how being channelled out through this narrow band of energy, which was in respect her own, and stored in some external device. It sickened her in a way, knowing that this was being harvested, all to make someone else feel better, why shouldn’t she feel better? Intact she was being made worse because of this!

   Her Scout swerved. She took a second to recompose herself as the other Scout flew below her. The link suddenly severed as  the vehicle lost it’s sight. She glanced at her fuel, she’d lost half of what she had.

“Are you Okay?!” Snow queried over the com”

“Head for base and I’ll see you there, Okay?” Said Mizti in return. There was silence.

  The enemy scout suddenly made it’s second attack, and Mizti was up like a rocket.

  To get an advantage, she raised her Scout up as far from the ground as it possibly would go, then spun over and around the foe, while shooting and harvesting the pilots health – They would have never saw it coming. Unless that is if it hadn’t raised it’self up previously, vertically into the air and shot a single Piercer It wasn’t until the Scouts health was below half that she remembered her fuel. She took a deep breathe and carried on though, knowing that her cannons would only be able to last for a moment longer. To preserve her guns, she stopped harvesting the pilots health, and began to work on the most important target – The scout itself.

  She heard the beep of the in-coming missile, getting closer and closer to her. She could see it on the radar – A different coloured circle getting closer and closer to her position.

   Desperately, she swung herself around again, and as close as possible. With a thud, she had fired off her last piercer. It struck! It didn’t hit where she hoped though. It only struck the rear, nothing important. Not even the thrusters. But it did make the scout sway off balance for a moment, she took her chance. She opened the last of her energy out into her cannons and stopped, letting the Scout come to her.

She fired, repeatedly, watching as all her power transformed into bullets, that sank deep into the cock pit of the scout. Mizti winced. Then after a moment, watched as the Scout came to a halt – the pilot either un-conscious or lifeless She looked at her health, she wasn’t in the best of conditions.

“Are you okay?” Asked Mizti over the com to Snow, but before she could comprehend her words, she suddenly felt a large explosion sweep over her body. A slight pain rang through her mind for a moment, only to be replaced a by a cool feeling of comfortable soundness. The Piercer had struck the rear of her Scout.

  When she finally stirred, she found herself in the holding area of a tank, laying constricted onto a surface. This wasn’t any kind of tank that the WaW had, She only knew she was in the holding area of an enemy tank because she’d learned about the structure of other ships from books, and lessons at school… School, to be back there again. The tank wasn’t moving, there’d be vibrations for her to if there were said a little voice inside her head.

  Her eyes blinked at the bright light above her. She focused, and then made out a face. They had short blonde, brown hair – Their helmet was obviously removed, it was a man, panic hit her, as did the last fleeting memory that ran through her head. Who ever it was before her, wore a slight cocky expression, their voice sounded subtle and smartly cool to her ears through the buzzing of the cramped room.

“ Hello” Said the man. “ You may call me Enterprise. You are on your way to the Gommet…” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                       

 

Confused and dazed, Mizti placed both arms against her, all fingers clutching the edge of the make shift bed. The lights were still dazzling her eyes, but still she winced as she tried to pull herself up.

  A click sounded from where the man was standing. A quick glance revealed he had just drawn his weapon. More panic struck, and her hand snapped from the edge of the bed, straight to the gun holster at her hip, or at least, where it would have been if it were there. The one remaining arm supporting her weight on the bench came back to her attention as she felt the limb begin to buckle under the pain and pressure at her weakened body.

“Don’t bother, I’ve taken it already Milady.” Came the laugh twisted reply.

“Wha…What do you want with me?” She forced through gritted teeth, her throat convulsed harshly as she swallowed back the urge to cry out in pain.

“Isn’t that obvious? I’ve caught me a fish, a pretty one too, I bet we’d get top dollar for ya’h.”

A frown crinkled her face as she let her head fall to one side and let the other hand fall back to the edge of the bench to help the other arm carry the weight once more. Her eyes shot open, and she looked up wide eyed, suddenly stricken with a horrible surge of guilt.

“Where’s Snow?! Where’s that other Scout?!”

“Hah, not worth my Auto-cannon, I chased her for a minute, but she’s quite the fast one. No doubt she’ll be back.”

“ She will! And right now I bet she’s telling the whole thing to my squad, who will come here and get me back!”

“Let them.” Enterprise chortled; “we’ll be long gone before they get here. Empire scum.”

She watched in disgust as he spat to the side of him at the word of the Empire. Then she understood.

“I’m not with the Empire! I’m from the Women At War!”

“Right, I’m supposed to believe that? Show me some proof lady.”

Instantly, she turned her left shoulder around, the material of the pail lilac coloured body suit glinting with the dazzling lights.

“There.”  She said pointing to the centre of her forearm matter-of-factly.

“What am I looking at?” He questioned back at her.

“Isn’t it obvious? Look closer!”

Enterprise bent his body over, inspecting the area in question. Another laugh rolled from his mouth as he paused, then stood up straight and gazed down on her opening his mouth and talking in a confused satisfaction.

“Why don’t you take a look?”

Mizti paused and then let her hand fall to her side at the end of the bench. With another whimper she dragged her body up so her head was able to crane over the side of her arm, which she twisted towards her in unison. The sight that met her was dismal. Only now did her condition hit her.

  Instead of the body suit covering her arm, there was a mass of clotted blood and charred skin, the suit had been ripped off spanning her shoulder all the way down to the fingertips. The rest of her body was just as bad, what remained of her suit just seemed to hang loosely and broken over her body. Her hand gripped for the sheet over her stomach then pulled it up further to her chin and took refuge underneath. Tightly, her eyes shut and in a more pleading tone of voice spoke up.

“Please, I’m really in WaW!”

“ That’s yet to be seen, just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean you’re in this Women At War group. The Empire has female pilots too. You simply could have conveniently ripped your clothes.”

“But my scout, it didn’t have the Empires mark! You had to see that!”

“Sorry.” He said as he reclined his head a little, showing off the dark sneer further. “I didn’t see any mark. But you’re still going to the Gommit, what ever you say.”

Again she frowned. There was little argument.

“Tell me, what is your squad?” She asked enquiringly.

“We are known as Blackdragons Of War”

“So you’re not Empire?”

“No, we are defiantly not. We are a small, but powerful, faction who have rebelled and risen. We own a large area to the west of here.”

“Our base is just south of here! You can take me back and find out that I’m not Empire!” Mizti spurted out suddenly.

“Hah. Nice try. For all I know, that could be an Empire base. You think I’m mad. Anyway, we better be off, It was almost an hour ago that your little friend got away.”

Mizti noticed that the boy had become strangely more relaxed now. She watched as he directed himself to a panel at his side. He was keying things in, she couldn’t see what exactly. Suddenly a flicker of blue energy expanded before her, then encased her in a small confiding radius around the bench. Her eyes widened and her pupils shrank. She stared out at him, helplessly. Both supporting arms buckled and collapse, forcing her back down against the cold metal of the benches surface. This time she couldn’t help not holding back the small whimper of pain through her openly gritted teeth, drawn up from her aching, burnt body.

Her hands raised to the air, her fingertips extended, they kept raising, until a burst of energy, charging from thin air in a bright blue manifestation of light wracked from the tips of her fingers, down her left arm, and into her body.

 For a second, she just stared up, stunned, eyes focusing on nothing. The room around her seemed to blur and darken. Her mind suddenly became aware of a bright blue haze above her, quite different from the form of the field encasing her body. It was high above her, keeping its distance from the bench. Then she coughed, then came a moment of cursing. The pain was un-bearable. The surge had travelled straight to her heart, stopping it briefly. The room was returning to normal. The blur above her had gone now. A hand was held tightly against her chest, clasping the centre of her ribs, she could feel her heart beating harshly, and her breathing was deep and rapid.

There was a sudden lurch in the room. She noticed the man had gone, the tank, it appeared, was moving. She looked around, not moving her head, just her eyes. There was nothing she could do. She was stuck inside the field, too scared to touch the force again.

Time seemed to take forever to pass. A rage of emotions was flowing through Mizti’s already confused and scared mind; fear, anger, isolation, longing to be back home. Home, she thought. She didn’t really have a home. The base or where ever she was posted was home to her, that’s how it was. She was brought up as a civilian in the hand of a carer; with three other children from before she could even remember.

 A sigh rolled from her mouth as she turned her head towards the cockpit. Lights were flashing and there was humming inside the little room. She was helpless and alone. No hope, none. Her eyes closed, and painfully, she silently cried herself to sleep.

 

When she awoke, there were two people standing over her. One was the man from earlier, Enterprise. The other was someone she’d never met. He was tall, coolly laid back and sophisticated. His hair was long and dark, he war a body suit of what appeared to be scaled woven pieces of jet black metal that seemed to match his eyes.. She took a second glance around; she was still in the little compartment of the tank, still laying on the bench. She was too scared to touch or feel for the field to see if that was still active. 

“Who are you?” Ordered the hoarse voice.

“I... I am Mizti. Lady Mizti. Lady of War, of Women at War.” She replied weakly, despite the few hours of her rest, she still felt just as powerless and drained of all energy.

“What were you doing in our territory Lady of War? Have you come to conquer our land and take our resources?” The figures face was held back by a blanket of darkness, Mizti couldn’t quite make out his features.

“No… No! Nothing like that! W…We were patrolling the area. We didn’t think there was another faction out here. We thought we were the only ones to advance this far North.”

The man stayed quiet for a moment, and then spoke up once more. “What are your intensions, what does your faction, as you put it, aim to do in this land?”

She took a small breathe, and planned out her words. She didn’t know how this man would react. Already in her mind, she could see her own execution, a grim death, by some crumbling wall, in some dark area. A single shot.  Never to be heard of again, to be forgotten and lost. She shook her head a little and focused on the question.

“Women at War is... Is trying to advance upon the Empire, there are other factions behind us, we are the only one that’s managed to get so far north, we’re almost at their base now. We are otherwise peaceful. The Empires corrupted system is almost at an end, but as we drive them back, the stronger they become. Their elite are forced to work together, and seem an unbreakable force. It’s our bases job to keep the area around us open and protected so that more factions can come and set up bases. Most of the forces southward are united against the Empire.

“Most of them?”

“Some of the factions want to stay out of the war, the smaller ones.”

“Sir,” Whispered Enterprise in a hushed voice. “There was another with her, another scout class tank, but it managed to get away. This one told me that they would have raised an alarm. There’s probably more looking for her right now.” With that information, a small glimmer of hope started to beat against the still hard thumping sound of Mizti’s own heart within her.

“Is this true?” The shadowy man asked down.

“We…” Mizti had to bite her lip, a throbbing hot pain was making itself slowly apparent down the left hand side of her back. The pain obviously has had time to establish itself. “We were on Watch duty… We had no idea that there was an undiscovered faction out here. But - yes, there’s probably been people sent to try and find my scout, and when they find out that I’m not there, then they’ll come looking for me.”

While she was still explaining, the man had turned, and commenced pressing a series of keys on a panel beside him. Just as she’d finished, there was the familiar flicker of blue energy around her, and before she could comprehend, the man out of the shadows. His eyes seemed dark and wild, but his face had no signs of emotions, every move he made was well thought out and executed efficiently.

  His arms were already out, his fingers grabbing the cloth over her body. Before she knew it, it had been snapped from her. She looked down on her body; the suit from her stomach had been completely taken away, as had the area covering her upper left leg thigh. In-fact, the majority of her left side was almost bare. Mizti stared up helplessly as the man gazed down on her body. She winced, she could feel her bodies’ pain, and how it cried out for help. She was loosing patience with the man; he was just staring, for minutes. This man just seemed to take his time, he wasn’t rushed, there was a heavy cool aura surrounding him, which seemed to last forever. And all the time, his eyes just bore down on her. She just felt helpless under his gaze.

“She’s not with the Empire. Enterprise, fire up your tank, and follow me. There’s no need to restrain her anymore, but keep an eye on her.” With that, he left, as suddenly as he had said it. There was a gentle whirr, and then a thud. Obviously he had left the Tank.

“Yes… Sir.” Enterprise responded seemingly to thin air. His upper lip contorted a little with sarcasm and exasperation. He turned around and strolled into the cockpit. The same whirr sounded, but this time the thud was metallic. The canopy had shut. She was once more sealed in.  Gingerly, she pulled herself upright and sat up, letting her legs swing over the edge of the bench. Pain wrapped her body, and she let out a small sob of distress. After regaining a little composure for a moment or two, her arms push ed her away from the surface of the bench. Just at that moment, a cry came out from the cockpit.

 “ I advise you to sit down right now!”

Mizti looked up, she was crouched and reaching for the blanket. A sharp jolt then sent her to the floor, head first into a protruding bulk head. The tank was on the move.  Mizti landed sprawled out over the cramped floor. She opened her eyes for a moment; the blanket was somehow in her hand, so she dragged it across her. It was comfort. The only comfort she could muster.

The fall had taken what strength she had left, out of her. Her mind was aware of herself weakening, she could feel it, though a small smile curled the corners of her lips and her legs drew up to her body. The briefest of yawns opened her mouth, before her eyes closed, and once more, she fell into a deep sleep. All the time, those dark piercing eyes of the shadowy man stayed in the deep depths of her mind.

   The two tanks soared for what seemed like hours. Over all types of terrain.

“Your report said you took the scout down around this area, correct?” The voice crackled through the com of Enterprise’s tank.

He took a second to look at his map and double check. His hand squeezed a pressure sensitive pad on the side of his steering unit.

“Affirmative” Enterprises eyes scanned over the grounds around them, and there, to one side,  was the still smoking remains of  a scout. “On your left! There’s what’s left of her ship.”

“I have it” came the cool reply. “ We should just sit here, no doubt there’s something still active in those remains that’ll lead her faction here. Keep a look out on the radar, and station yourself about five hundred meters on the opposite side of the debris to me, that way we can get a better chance of seeing them first.”

“Yes sir.” Thrusters blew as the powerful tank entered a strafe, the hovering mass moving sideways towards the mass of charred and twisted steel. Eventually the tank struck upon the five hundred meters. One by one, each hover pad lowered it’s energy output. The matter distribution they emitted gently began to cease, sending the tank slowly towards the ground, until, lightly and with a small thump, it lay against the smooth grassy earth.

Enterprise looked around. His eyes flicked from the window before him, to the controls. Everything was fine system wise, he was still two Piercer missiles down, but that was no big deal. Again, his fingers coil around the steering column and squeeze the communications pad.

“Everything’s fine here sir, nothing unusual. My tank is sitting at just over five hundred meters away from the debris, and I’m keeping a constant eye on the radar.”

“Good job. Now, just stay quiet and wait. I’ll contact you if nothing happens. Understood?”

“Understood sir.” He recited back, as if this was just a natural reaction to an order.

  Enterprise again began to look around. He watched the radar for a while, but boredom soon gripped his concentration, he turned his head towards the rear of the tank. He couldn’t see the girl anywhere from where he was. She’s escaped? He thought, as he rose to his feet, and darted into the rear compartment. He didn’t see her, but he soon found her, as he hurried, he neglected to notice his footing, and went straight over as his foot caught the top of the step into the room. He landed to the floor, in a-would-be face first action, but his arms managed to cross before his chin connected to the floor. He lay there stunned for a moment, then gazed up, noticing the woman sleeping deeply in the fetal position on the floor beneath the table. All his senses stopped as he lay there quietly staring at her sleeping, hunched up beneath the blanket.

  Loose messed up strands of hair were hanging before her face, some singed, and some black with soot. Her face too was dirty, and her eyes puffy where she’d been watering with silent tears. Despite her apparent injury, Enterprise took note that the girl wore a quiet innocent smile, it was hardly noticeable, but it was there. He in turn, curled his lips, smiling back. He extended an arm out, and pushed the hair from her face. Moments seemed to pass in seconds as he lay there staring openly. Nothing else seemed to matter at the moment around him, but soon enough; a series of small beeps seemed to flood the tank. Enterprise got up, looking from left to right. The cockpit, he thought, and then charged straight towards the controls. He threw himself forcefully back in his chair and gazed stupidly at the radar. Three targets had just entered the area, no four targets. This was too much, what was going to happen? Thoughts were flooding through Enterprises mind.

  His hand hit a pressure area on his control column, the map screen beneath the radar suddenly changed, bringing up the land heights and lows around him.  There was a pretty large hill between the wrecked scout and herself, he’d be safe and not seen, he was laying on the ground too, that would hide his tank from radar.

  He sat, hoped, and stared at the radar. The earth was humming lightly under his tank with the force of their engines. The circles had emerged and gathered around the wrecked scout. One by one, they left the radar as they supposedly landed around the wreckage.

“Sir, do you see this.” Enterprise whispered over the com, as his fingers squeezed against the pressure sensitive pad on the left stick handle.

“Of course, now, I take it you see how there’s a group of hills just to the west of the wreck. Count up to ten, then on full power, charge to rear base of that cluster. And then sit your tank down, understood? Then quickly prepare the girl, and carry her out of the tank, I shall meet you there. Now, haste.”

“What?! Leave my Tank?! Are you sure sir?”

“Are you questioning me?”

“No sir, but…”

“Good, now, count to ten. Now.”

“A slight grumble sounded in Enterprises throat as he released the Com button. His mind started to count down the seconds in his head, starting with ten.

  His eyes closed solemnly as he sat back in his seat. In all hopes, he would have liked all the tank pilots not to be in their tanks as their own emerge on their radar, running. He would have liked them to be out; poking the wreckage, looking for the charged corpse, but that was only a hope. He had no idea if any of the pilots were sitting, waiting, combat ready.  

 It was time; he pushed a thick lever besides the column up slightly, throwing the tank into life. The hover pads erupted with a massive blast of radiating energy. He leaned forwards. Another thick lever was pushed with full force, as far as it could go.

The sound of energy charging filled the tank, as with a jerk, it exploded away, tearing at the ground underneath harshly as it moved, leaving streaks of dirt and dust in its wake. Enterprise looked down onto the radar, the tanks were assembling, but there was a good distance between them now, and the hills were almost in sight.

  His left hand felt for a pad on the column, it was true, he fingered another button. Light erupted on the window before him. Yellow squares manifested around the closest of them. But a targeting square appeared over the closest. It was the scout, the one that had fled, the one that had been a friend to the girl in his tank. She was closing fast, but the other of the circles seemed to be confused, they were splitting into two groups.  But this one scout regardless was coming after him. She knew where her team-mate was. She was about eight hundred meters away, but she’d have no time or energy to catch up, hopefully. A Scouts energy capacity was sufficiently less then that of the tanks. It was all a question of stamina.

  Obviously they had spotted his commander too, or else they wouldn’t be splitting into two groups. There was a tank after him now too. But he was almost there, almost at the foot of the hills. A flash of familiar blue entered the radar. It was his commander alright. The tanks behind them had changed course too, they ran at each others side, in what seemed to be a parallel line, the scout had slowed too, rejoining the rest of their group.

   Jump-jets roared into life as Enterprises tank rose to the air. A large concentration of energy, held in two ports at the rear of the tank, sparked into life, sending a wave of power towards the floor. A moment later, the wave exploded against the earth. The matter from the explosion, rained and pushed on special catchers at the tanks rear, sending it upwards, like a giant surfboard riding a wave. The course took Enterprises tank straight over the top of the first hills, and luckily, there was a gap between both hills before him where he landed, so he was quickly able to scuttle between them.

  On the other side, his team mate was standing outside of his tank, which was still and quiet on the ground. The commander waved suit at Enterprise to do the same.

 A frown pressed Enterprises features as he turned about, sitting his tank down adjacent to that of the other. He looked down to the radar. The others were closing in, fast now. He was confused, this was almost certain suicide, what should he do? His fists ball and slam against the controls. Pure concentration was stricken over his face. His teeth were clenched, and his eyes wide with fear.

  Finally, he got up, and ran into the back, he crouched down and gathered the girl in his arms, then staggered over to the door. His elbow hit against a panel, and the door hummed open.

 With a single jump, he exited his vehicle, and landed to both feet on the floor. Or what would have been, if one leg didn’t buckle under both their weight, and his body fell down to one knee. Soon though, he bit his lip and struggled back up to both feet, and moved around to the front of his tank to join the other man.

 They stood side by side. Enterprise, standing with his legs apart, supporting the girl in his arms, and the other man, standing coolly, looking out at the hills as if nothing were wrong.

  They could hear the beeps on the radar becoming more dramatic, they were closer now. Vibrations were starting to run through the ground. By his reckoning, Enterprise thought, they couldn’t be more then two hundred meters away. It seemed forever, waiting for them to show. A sigh of exasperation rolled from his lips as he contemplated.

            Suddenly there were loud explosion on the other side of the hill, one after the other, three in all.  Three large tanks sprang into view as they all cleared the first hill. One shot out a pulse fire of energy, which luckily, flew straight over their heads and landed a few hundred meters behind them, sending a mass of fire and earth up into the clear evening air. Enterprise looked back and felt a line of sweat gently making its way down the side of his face. He looked forwards again, just in time to see the glint of dark steel rise over the horizon of the closest hill. Then another, and another, all three tanks had converged on the hill top, before he knew what was happening, one tank rushed, and opened with a volley of auto-cannon fire.

  The bullets raced between both Enterprise and his superior. Enterprise gritted his teeth and whined, closing his eyes tightly shut. There were sounds of steel hitting steel. The other man though, just stood by as the bullets raced past his face, the closest sending little pockets of air against his long hair, causing it to wave in the gentle breezes. A grin grew across his handsome mouth.

  The tank stopped firing, and in succession, the other tanks flanked and lined up in suit with the leading one. All three dropped to the ground. A hatch blew on the two of the tanks and two womanly figures dropped simultaneously to the floor, both landing on one knee. A second later and they were both up on their feet. They both wore helmets with visors down, their features were obscured, and Enterprise couldn’t make them out. One was dawned in a light powder blue body suit, and the slender helmet seemed to add an air of dynamic movement to her person. What part of her body was visible though was her mouth. Both the lower and the upper lip were raised fiercely and there was defiantly the trace of apprehension. The second figure looked much different. She was clad in the same kind of body wear, except it was a different colour, a pale muddy brown. Slender too, yes, like the other, but her helmet was shaped much differently. It reminded Enterprise of a hawk, she seemed agile, and ready to take flight, though there was no odd positioning of her lips, she just seemed to be tolerating the situation.

  The commander stepped slowly forwards, his head bowed. He still held the grin, which made Enterprise slightly suspicious of what this was going to add up to.

 The man raised his head and opened his mouth. There was a certain gleam in his eye, and when he spoke, it was like a soft, yet hoarse flurry of slow and hospitable percussion of smartly chosen words.

“Good evening, I believe we have something of yours.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                       

 

 

The sun was a dark orange by the time Snow had reached the base. Instantly, her eyes darted around for any signs of anyone near by. A whimper drew through her mouth as she landed her scout, and drew the hatch open then jumped out, clearing the canopy with a large amount of distance. Again, she looked around, no one was here. Wait. No, there was someone, over at the far side of the base, she could see someone moving against the dark steel of their tank.

  With as much haste and stamina as she could muster, Snow charged from her right foot, and full out sprinted towards the figure. Once Snow reached them, and finding out that It was Tinkerbell; and, as usual, she was messing with her tank.

 Snows small body leapt before her, falling down more or less and stumbling at her feet. Her  chest convulsed with her hard , rapid breathing; tears were forming in her eyes as she continued to panic.

“ Tink! Tink come quick! It’s Mizti, someone’s got her! I didn’t see clearly who it was, I think it’s the Empire! Oh god! Come quick! Please! I got caught off guard by two scouts and a tank! Mizti managed to help me take them out, but the Tank monkeyed her! I tried to fight it, but I couldn’t, so I came here! Please do something! She might have been killed!”

There was a moment for Tinkerbell to register the information. Then, she just dropped the tools she was carrying to the floor and looked out at the sky, slightly wide eyed.

“Everyone’s in the refectory eating, go get Winter, and Hawk”

“Hawk? But isn’t she…” Snow cut off her own sentence and looked up at Tink.

“She’s just got back a few hours ago with the others, now go and get them – Quickly! Tell them it’s an emergency if you have to.”

Snow frowned and nodded as she turned about and sped off towards a large building a few hundred meters away. Tink just stood, staring into space. If the Empire had her, then there was no way they’d see her alive again, she knew that. She knew if she were dead too, they’d have to bring back the corpse, to the dismay of the squad. The moral of the women was already low, this, if it were the case of Mizti’s death, would most probably drive more fear into those presented at the front line. That’s all that the faction needed right now.

 Soon, the three Tanks were lined up, Tinkerbells was to the left, then Winterhearts, and finally SoloHawks. All three pilots were joined around Winters tank in a small conference. Murmurs of un-certainty were being swapped by Tinkerbell and Winter, Hawk was standing to one side, folding her arms and staring into space.

  A gentle humming shook the ground gently, Hawk opened her eyes and turned about, her hazel coloured hair cascading past her shoulder. Soon enough Tinkerbell and Winter also caught the sound and turned their heads too, for stopping against the tanks and landing was Snow. She popped the canopy open and thrust herself out to the ground. She ran up to Tinkerbell, while drooping her head as she ran past Hawk, who in turn stuck up her nose and turned her head to one side. Winter gave a slight smirk and stepped back.

“I’m coming with you!” Protested Snow as she stood upright and placed both hands to her hips, trying to show herself off as insolent as possible.

“You can’t Snow. Your scout’s in no state to be taken out.” said Tinkerbell, calmly.

“Well! I thought you’d say that, so I took it to the repair pad, there’s nothing wrong with my scout now, it’s all one hundred percent better!” Snow looked triumphant. She even folded her arms and closed her eyes, painting her features with a large grin.

“I suppose there’s nothing more to say then.” Mumbled Tinkerbell while blinking. Winterheart sneered, it was the first time she’d seen Tinkerbell be so easily overcome.

“She’s as bad as Mizti, they should be a duo or something.” Winterheart whispered to Tinkerbell with a short laugh under her breathe to follow.

From her pose, Snow rounded on Winter, with both firsts blazing.

“Listen to me! Stop making jokes about everyone! Especially now! It’s my fault we’ve lost Mizti! So I’m coming to help! You think just because you’re bigger then some people you can boss everyone around and make fun of them! What I’d do if..”

She stopped. A hand had wrapped around her shoulder. Not a forceful one, but a warm one. Snow didn’t realise it, but tears were welling up in the sides of her eyes. So many pent up emotions were struggling to arise inside her, to be shown to be broadcast, but the hand on her shoulder seemed to make the feelings die down, and want to be forgotten.

 Tinkerbell smiled down as she rubbed the side of Snows shoulder. She nodded once, and bowed her head.

“It’s ok, I know you’re at a loss over this, we are too. Don’t get up at Winter, she doesn’t mean to be so impolite...”

“Gee thanks…” Chirped Winter and frowned. “This is twice is one day.”

“She’s always been bossy, ever since she was a child.”

Everyone turned around. They weren’t expecting Hawk to speak. It was quite unusual to get a single word out of her. She stood  in her light hazel body suit, with her hawk fashioned helmet already on.

There was a brief moment of silence, which was broke by a cough from Tinkerbell.

“ We should really get going, the more time we waist here girls, the more time something could happened to Mizti, if she’s managed to get away.”

All nodded, apart from Hawk, who was already climbing into her Tank. Winter turned away, her face slightly flushed her hands were dragging her helmet over her head.

“So… So I can come?”  stammered Snow, not sure of what state to feel.

“Of course, we may need a scout.”

Snow smiled and pulled her helmet on too. She nodded as she strapped it on under chin, then turned towards her scout and jogged off, while at the same time, messing with the panel of keys on the underside of her headpiece.

Tinkerbell stopped for a moment, and then looked up to her tank. She hesitated, but then quietly, she strode up to it, running her hand around the cold dark metallic surface while stepping in a half circle to the hatch. After stepping in and a quick press of a key the door was sealed.

She made her way to the cockpit and sat down glumly, staring at the keys. Her mind wondered for a moment as both hands raised and pressed against the cold metal of the control panel housing before her. This was typical; this is all that happened to her lately, fighting, non-stop violence. She felt slightly overwhelmed and motherly. She always wondered why. She never saw herself as the mother type. But now all she seemed to symbolise was a motherly figure to all the women and girls in the base.  Mizti, Mizti couldn’t be gone. It was stupid to think it, she told herself.

Eventually, she worked herself out of the daydream and pushed up a lever to one side of the controls. Her tank surged into life.

Power suddenly swept through the frame of circuits and wiring, the hover pads beneath the beast surged into life. Outside of the tank, all the others had done the same.  The row of war machines had now dispersed in a less organised fashion. Snow was already driving back and fourth in front of them, eager to leave, sending small clouds of dust from left to right.

“Ok, now.” Said Tinkerbell over the com. “Everyone take a look at the co-ordinates of the area where Mizti went down, and target that area. Be careful, that Tank may still be there, or may have even gotten backup by now. Either way, be on your guard. Remember, this is the Empires ground! Not ours, so they’d no more about the land the further away from the base we go. They may have dark light valleys and nooks and crannies guarded. And finally, watch out for their patrols. We’ll be together, but if someone spots something on the radar, broadcast it immediately. Understood?”

 There was a quick succession of affirmative answers from the three other pilots.

“Ok then, off we go.” And with the final words from Tinkerbell, all four powered on over the edge of the valley and off towards the target.

It was some hours before they reached the area. The radar was clear, no signs of anyone around. It was just another routine journey.

They approached the debris of the scout, it was still alive with wisps of smoke, and the stench of freshly charred steel and plastic, and what else may line a scout. All the vehicles naturally arced beside the smouldering carcass of what was a vehicle, and then landed. All the pilots then came out. Both Winter and Snow came running out, wide eyed at the mess. The scout itself was visible, all apart that is to say for the rear. It looked as it if been ripped apart, and made into pieces, thrown carelessly to the ground. Snow leapt onto the ladder leading to the cockpit.

“My god! It’s been opened” Snow called back.

“Or been blown off” Stammered Winter.

“Don’t be stupid! How can you just blow off the cover to the cockpit and not do anything to the hull.”

“But there has been something done to the cockpit.” Hawk pointed out quietly.

Snow climbed up further to the side of the cockpits entrance, it was still hot, but she didn’t care. She looked for a moment, desperate to find a sign.

“She’s not here!” Again she called back.

“Well, if she’s not there she’s close by then.” Said Tinkerbell under her breathe, gazing off.”

“The canopy wasn’t forced off either, the couplings are still intact.”

Snow almost slipped as she heard the voice next to her. Hawk had the habit of sneaking up on her. That was one of the things Snow feared about Hawk the most, that and her cool calm attitude towards everything. It was almost as if she feared nothing. Snow turned her head and jumped down, leaving Hawk to be the sole inspector of the ruin. She looked from left to right, there were hills either side of them, and a group of smaller hills into the distance in front of them. She sighed a little.

Winter climbed up to the cockpit and looked around, while silently mouthing words to herself. - It was her who had seen her last, who had last spoken to her person to person. Guilt wrapped her mind a little as she looked over what was left of the seat.

“It looks as if the missile hit her left side, just below the chain-gun.  It erupted all the power conduits instantly. It looks as if fire’s done most of the damage here.” Spoke Hawk, as if dictating to herself.

 Winter was just about to answer when a series of beeps suddenly emitted from the groups of tanks behind them. Instantly they all span their heads around, stunned. Tinkerbell and Hawk both acted simultaneously. They both charged at their tanks and then clambered in, almost in unison. Then followed Winter and Snow. Winter climbed in her tank, as Snow catapulted herself into her own scout. All four reached their controls at roughly the same time, and their eyes all met on the same sight. Two dots on the radar, both roughly about five hundred meters away.

“ Winter, you come with me and head for the one on our left, Hawk, you take Snow and go for the…”

Tinkerbell was cut off. A scream came down the com, it was Snow. With amazement, all three watched as her Scout shot past them, roaring with a fierce power, and leaving a mass of dust in its wake.

“Snow! Damn it! Get back!”  Called Winter.

It was no good. She was running at full power, straight for the target on the right. The two were about seven hundred meters away now, and by the looks of it, they too were running at full power at the rate they were covering. There was another roar of power on a massive scale, and Hawk had taken off, leaving too a wake of earth and dust at her heals.

“Tinkerbell, go for the left tank,” Called Hawk, “I’ll chase her down and go for the right.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m more then capable, now go.”

Tinkerbell nodded and powered up her tank. Winter followed too. Both blasted off from the spot and headed in a direct line for the right tank.

Snow was screaming still down the com, Hawk was shouting, trying to get her to calm down. Nothing could be heard over the over powered engines, and the sound of the turbulent ground rushing past them. It went on for what seemed like ages, until finally, Hawk aimed towards Snow’s scout.

 An explosion wracked the ground beneath the small ship. Hawk had fired a single pulse shot, which had taken ground directly underneath Snow. Earth was going everywhere, and she’d lost control, fire was covering the outside of the hull as the scout began to spin helplessly in the air. Snow let out a single scream and let go of the controls. She pushed the power of the hover pads to the maximum, a lucky thing. As moment later, her scout landed to the ground, the hover pads energy though saved the hull from connecting to the earth. The energy surged and pushed down bringing the scout back up and level.

 Snow shook violently. She looked around, everything seemed to be fine. The com rang out into the cockpit.

“Better?” Came Hawks voice.

Snow didn’t answer. Her hands were back on the controls though.

 On the opposite side of the valley, Winter and Tinkerbell were making good time. The tank in front of them was fast, but not fast enough. They were just coming to the end of the way, there was a small cluster of hills in front of them, and the other tank had appeared on the screen too. It had appeared that both the tanks were going to meet up sometime soon.

Hawk passed Snow, who was just sitting silently, shivering and weeping with fear.  She pressed on, and in no time at all, she was at the base of the hills with Tinkerbell and Winterheart.

“Alright, on three, jump the hill!” Tinkerbell found herself shout out. The two other dots were clear of the hill now and together. One went off the radar.

“One just landed!” Winterheart shouted. The other dot was manoeuvring close to the next, then that soon too disappeared.

“Now the other one’s gone!”

A moment passed. “Everyone jump now! One…Two…”

Before Tinkerbell could say the next number, they were off, all three executing their Jump-jets, each with a second between them. Power blasted down form the tanks emitters, and then rebounded back off the floor towards them. The specially designed netted catchers took full impact of the blast as designed to. The force sent the tanks up into their, with the catchers surfing the wave of energy. Winterheart saw the two tanks instantly and let fire, a pulse shot straight towards them. She didn’t see if it had hit or not, as the wave of energy her tank rode, dissipated almost as soon as it started. It was enough though to take her tank up and over the hill. The recoil of the pulse though set her tank a little further back then that of Tinkerbells and Hawks jump. She had a feeling that her pulse was a little high.

“Charge this hill now, and target the first tank you can get close to. Go! Now!” Tinkerbell ordered as she charged forwards, and up the hill. With a slight grunt, Hawk pushed her tank forwards and Winter increased her speed to try and make up for lost ground.

Tinkerbell was first to reach the top of the hill, what she saw made her freeze in her tracks. Then at her heals Hawk too rose to the top of the hill, then Winter, who targeted the closest tank, then fired her auto-cannon, and then stopped. She just stared on wide eyed, not believing the sight.

“W...What do we do? They’ve got… She’s right there…” asked Winter as she flicked her com switch.

“This is a new one to me.” Tinkerbell Mumbled. “Lets fly down to meet them. Winter, you stay in your tank just incase this is a trap.”

“Understood.” Said Winter, who then turned off her com.

“Hawk, you come with me, ok? Get around eighty meters, then land, ok?”

There was a long pause, with no response.

“Hawk? Do you understand?”

Another long pause followed, and when Tinkerbell was ready to ask again, then cam the reply. “Yes, I understand.”

“Well, okay, good. Now, move out.”

Both tanks cautiously made their way down the hill.

“I don’t like this” Said Winter as she re-started her com for a moment.

“Don’t worry. It’s going to go smoothly.” Hawk said, just before Tinkerbell could reply, even Winter couldn’t escape the eerie aura that seemed to surround Hawk. She shuddered.

All three tanks came to a halt. Both Hawk and Tinkerbell opened the hatches above them, and threw themselves from the roof of the cockpit. They landed to one knee, but quickly re-composed themselves. They looked straight ahead. Two men were standing before their tanks. One was holding Mizti. There seemed to be a cold chill throughout the air, though, it was almost nearing Winter time, and the high cold peaks of Rhodes were only some kilometres away.

The other man stepped forward. He was tall and what people would call handsome. His long dark hair seemed to trail behind him through the gentle breeze. He carried only a grin, and stopping with a few feet between them, he graciously bowed his head. His head rose a few seconds later, still with that grin smeared across his features.

 “Good evening, I believe we have something of yours.”

His voice was penetrating, enlightened, manly and sophisticated.

 

“Tell us what you want, Empire” Asked Tinkerbell in an unusual form.

“I, nor we are Empire as you put it. We are known as the Black-Dragons of War. A faction against the machine of the Empire. ”

“The BlackDragons of War?! I thought they disbanded up so long ago?” Tinkerbell was shocked.

“No, a small band decided to stay together. I was just a boy then, but we travelled northwards, and settled in Gatzu. We forgot all of our old ways and started freshly here.

“What? So you’re not with the Empire? Then why did you fire on two of my Scouts?! I demand to know!”

“We were not aware of any other factions, other then the Black-Dragons of War. When we saw your Scouts, we thought they were Empire ships, so we opened fire. But apparently, your little pilot here informed me that there are many other factions southward who appose the Empire also. We would like more information, maps if possible. We meant no harm to your faction.”

Tinkerbell looked on through her visor suspiciously.  She carried on looking for a short time. She looked at Mizti, then looked back, and outstretched her arm towards the man.

“I am Tinkerbell, leader of the Women at War.”

At those words, the mans heels clicked together, and his head bowed briefly once more.

“You are the leader? What are you doing in such a place as this?” His own hand outstretched and took Tinkerbells, she was curious.

“I am very involved and close to my squad, I like to do my part.” Tinkerbell was still naturally frowning beneath her head gear.

“I see, well, I’m sure you’re very curious to my identity…” He let her hand go.

“BlackDragon, Leader of the BlackDragons of War.” Came the lofty, hushed reply.

All eyes turned to Hawk. There followed a few seconds of silence. The man just stared, he still seemed cool and laid back, but there was definitely something about him now to say that he was genuinely taken aback.

“Very good…” The sophisticated voice broke the silence. “I see, you have your share of spies then. But tell me one thing, if she is your spy, then why did you not know about us? Is this some kind of trick? Are you from the Empire, sent here with trickery? Who are you spy?”

“She is not a spy, she is Lady Hawks Angel, SoloHawk.” Tinkerbell spoke up. “But I am curious to know how she has this information.”

The man wrestled with himself for a moment. “Hawk?”

“Yes, brother.” Hawk replied if talking to just some superior.

“Brother?!” Winterhearts voice came over the com in their ears, so loud that even that BlackDragon got an earful.

Enterprise, who was, still all this time holding Mizti a few feet back was as equally stunned. His lips parted, his voice was hushed and to himself, he gazed out at his Leader with wide questioning eyes. “I never knew all this time, the commander had a daughter…Wow.”

Tinkerbell paused, she too, was just as stunned. She looked at Hawk. She seemed a pale blue through the lid of her visor, then back at BlackDragon. There was a similarity between them. They both had the same stance, that, jaunty feet apart - one shoulder higher then the other stancce. They even acted the same. She thought for a moment, assessing the situation.

“Can we trust this man then Hawk?” She asked in a hushed voice.

There was a little pause before she answered.

 “Yes.” She replied, simple, efficient and to the point.

“Very well.” Tinkerbell raised a hand to the rear of her helmet and held down a key. “Winter, go back and find Snow, I don’t think she’s that far away.”

“Alright, be back in a few days then.” Came the exasperated reply.

Behind them, Winters tank charged, then raised to the air elegantly, then turned about, and shot off over the hill, leaving only a little trail of dust floating harmlessly on the ebbs of air left in the path of her exit.

Tinkerbell turned back to Hawk, who had her head turned away. She looked back at the man, BlackDragon. He was staring intently at them both. He seemed neither happy, nor sad to see Hawk. She was slightly confused at the situation.

“How, but, Hawk, you’ve been part of the Women at War all your life haven’t you? Since you were a child, you were born back in Tron…”

“No” Interrupted Hawk. “When I was about six, it is true, I was born around here. When I was young, I wanted to fight for the Empire …That was just over thirty years ago, before it fell into what it is now.” She went on, her voice was airy, and there were no signs of emotions, just the light continuous tone which she seemed to always hold. “…But because of my gender, I was not allowed to fight. Back then, the BlackDragons were just a small group, hiding beneath the shadows of the Empire in a small village, not far from here, too scared, too little to do anything. I see they have progressed now, my commandments, sir.”

The man laughed. “I’m curious to some things, but no doubt we can talk later now we’ve found each other. You seem to have forgotten your team mate laying unconscious over there.” His head thrust to one side to indicate, the grin turned down into a straight expression, and his eyes closed.

“Enterprise, bring the young girl over here please, and lay her next to the Tanks. No, wait, you sit down, and hold onto her, the weather is quite cold, wrap your arms around her, keep her warm.”

Enterprise nodded slowly, then moved forwards, passed the three and sat beside the left tank. He lowered Mizti between his legs, and sat her in a half upright position while her head lolled to one side limply sending matted hair falling down in her face. Enterprise extended out his arms and wrapped them around her chest securely. A slight blush tainted his cheeks and he looked away from them all.

“Oh if Winter were still here” Tinkerbell laughed under her breath.

“She is safe and healthy” BlackDragon continued. “We are sorry for attacking your scouting party. I hope there are no ill feelings. We’ll compensate you for the damage of the vessel.”

Tinkerbell smiled and raised her hand to her helmet, then dragged it off. Her bright blonde hair was up in a bun, and glistening in the late season sun. “It’s perfectly fine, all that matters is that we have our team mate back.”

BlackDragon smiled, then, with both arms tightly at his sides, bowed deeply.

“That is most gracious Miss, on behalf of my faction, thank you.”

            Some time soon passed. It was darker now. All the four tanks were gathered in a tight circle. The group were gathered around a large fire in the centre. All were sitting on the floor around the warm basking glow. First there was Tinkerbell, then BlackDragon, then Hawk, and finally Enterprise, who still had Mizti, who was still fast asleep in his arms. They were talking of their actions in the area. How the Women at War, with the aid of the other factions had driven the Empire back this far, then the topic came onto the BlackDragons, and how they have managed to live in secret these past eighteen years on the Empires back doorstep. Eighteen years. Enterprise sighed a little. The faction had been alive for that long. He himself was almost twenty now. He was only a child when his parents decided to join BlackDragon…

 “So, this TSF faction you speak of, they are close by now? And when they arrive, we can trade with them?” BlackDragon queried over the roaring fire. It was just background noise to Enterprise. He was fixed on the flames. His grip on the girl in his arms was tight, he wanted to follow his orders and keep her warm. She felt soft in his arms. The truth was, that he enjoyed the feel of her warm bare skin against his arms. The crackling of the burning wood, and the glowing heat against his body was making him tiresome and over comfortable. He thought it odd, the range of feelings he was experiencing. He watched the dancing shadows on the ground, his eyes followed the dancing shades of darkness, as they curled, twisted and morphed, until finally they died away, only for new, more fascinating shapes to rise where the old ones once stood.

This felt like life for him. Things were dying all around him everyday. If they didn’t die by his hand or another’s, then it was the people he knew, or the people around him who were dying. The people who were just there, who he took for granted each day, the people he saw, but never spoke to. His hands were so bloodstained with the countless deaths of the people he met in battle.

One hand undraped from Mizti’s body, then rose to his own head. He touched the red tinted scarf around his forehead briefly, brushing aside his short, brown finger length strands of hair. “Jumpэr,” he thought, then sighed and started to finger the edges pf the material.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                   

 

Light was gleaming down on the hill top, casting a great shadow from the old oak tree, standing proud with all its withered branches layered with thick green vibrant oak leaves. The sound of birds played joyfully through the air as they hopped form branch to branch. The atmosphere was hazy and tranquil.

Over the peaceful sounds, there was one other, repetitive striking sound. 

A boy, aged around fifteen was standing at the base of the broad tree, swinging a wooden sword again, and again against the surface. There was a sure look of determination about his stance, and the way that he kept his position throughout the attacking was fascinating.

This was going on, and had been going on for some time.

His hands were red bare, where the force of each strike of wood colliding with the bark had thundered down into his tensed waiting hands, yet though again, he struggled more and more, biting his lip against the pain.

 The boy stopped, and turned behind him. There at the top of the hill, was another young boy, about the same age, standing with his feet spread. His arm was outstretched behind him, and he had a bandoleer fastened across his chest, holding his own stout wooden sword. His bright blonde hair rested airily over his red wrap around scarf, folded thrice around his head.

“Enterprise” Laughed the boy on the hill, and then spat.

“Jumpэr” Glared the boy by the tree.

There was a brief sneer, a snort, and both boys were away, charging for each other.

Enterprise pulled his sword back behind him as he ran, pushing his body forward and down into the sprint to gain more power. Jumpэr drew his sword, and held it before him with both hands as he pushed off. He too, pushed his upper body forwards into the sprint to gain power. The wooden blade tilted to his side as his shoulders turned. He drew the sword back, then jumped bringing down the blade towards Enterprise.

Enterprise In turn thrust his blade up to meet Jumpэrs. They both clashed. The force made Enterprise suck back through gritted teeth in pain. Both blades rested evenly between the two, both crossed between their faces, which were no more then half a meter apart.

Jumpэr revelled and gleamed down at Enterprise, who was glaring up.

“Very good, you’ve finally been practicing” Jumpэr mocked. “You’ll never get rid of the Empire if you just sit around all day.”

“You’re late! And I practice far enough! And as for the Empire, they will soon fall!” Snarled Enterprise.

“Yeah, right!” The swords were still forcefully pressed against each other. The two faces were so close; both could feel each others breath. “With your attitude Gatzu will fall within the week!”

Both boys leapt back. Enterprise spit at the ground and drew his sword back, so did Jumpэr. Then both boys leapt at each other again. This time, the blades swung harsh for each other, then Enterprise drew back once more, and drove the sword down at Jumpэrs head. Jumpэr was quick to respond. He pushes his blade upwards, striking into that of Enterprise, who was already pulling himself back for another volley. His blade was a blur. He pulled both hands to the hilt, and started to repeatedly bring his sword down on top of Jumpэr, hacking again and again. The look in his eyes was fierce, his mouth was lolling open as muscles flared throughout his body. Again and again came the relentless attacks, but Jumpэr could do nothing but defend. Sweat gathered on his forehead as he was pushed further and further back.

 A sudden explosion erupted from the base of the hill, it was loud. So loud that both boys stopped fighting and stared. Enterprise was still, with his sword held high over his head. Jumpэr stumbled and dropped his sword. They both stared on. Another explosion shook the ground. This one sent dust and dirt high into the air.  Jumpэr got back to his feet. After a moment of standing, both boys edged forward, both with their eyes wide in horror. Flames were bellowing from the village below. Screams were casting out the sounds of smaller explosions.

That was it. Gatzu was under attack. Both boys raced forwards at the same time. They looked at each other as they ran. They exchanged a look of worry and guilt. Grass and flowers sped by, until they were met with the smell of smoke and burning wood. Soon, they could hardly see themselves for the smoke and falling ash as they got closer to the town.

“To your house! Fetch your sword! I think the BlackDragons have been discovered!” Jumpэr shouted through the smoke and panic. Enterprise nodded and turned away from Jumpэr while still running. He sped off down the road, which was clouded with smoke, but at the same time, alight with a bright fire, burning harshly against the cobbled track. He could hear the peoples screams, and the thunder of tanks, the footsteps of soldiers. Everything was happening around him, then before his eyes, there was a group of civilians, caught and scared in the middle of the street, crowding together as a tank approached behind them. The mothers hugged their children tight, while the husbands and men surrounded the women. All eyes were wide open. Enterprise though burst through them all, and carried on down the street. He was breathing heavy, throwing himself into the full run. Sweat was pouring down his face. He was almost there, he was almost home.

His hands hit the front gate so hard that the wood almost splintered and fell from its hinges. He ran into the front door shoulder first, tearing the frame away at the walls. He looked about; none of his family were here. He frowned then charged for the stairs, making his way up to his room. Then, slamming the door open. He looked form left to right. It was where he’d left it, laying on his table top, freshly cleaned and glistening in the yellow hazy glow shining through his window. With haste, he took a hold of the hilt, just in time to hear a crash form downstairs. He looked at the door, then at the window.

It took him all of five seconds to come up with the idea.

Throwing the sword down to the bed, he picked up the chair, which was lying next to the table, and took it by two legs. He could hear the footsteps coming from downstairs, they’d soon advance upstairs.

He drew the chair back, and then launched it, with full force straight into the window pain to the side of him.  Everything seemed to happen slowly. The back of the chair was the first to hit the soft glass. From the force, the glass crippled instantly, breaking and shattering, sending glass shards outwards. A moment later and there was a soft thud of the chair hitting the ground two stories below.

Enterprise picked up the sword. Then leapt for the window and perched on the ledge. Outside of the frame, there was a large tree, overlooking his back yard. There were various strong branches outstretching next to his window. It had always been a valuable way to escape the house when he had been in trouble with his mother. A small smile tinted Enterprises face, then he leapt onto the closest branch, sword in hand. He followed the branch to the trunk, and then lowered himself down to the floor. He was free.

He took another look around, sighing a little at his backyard, before vaulting himself over the fence.

He landed on one knee on the opposite side. He was in the street which ran around the back of his house. There were various patches of fire littering his path to the right, so he had no choice. He went left, and on up the street.

Soon he reached the end of the road, and turned right to go further into the city. After this street., he turned again, only to find that same group of frightened people, still clutching onto their children. The tanks were swerving at the men. He watched as one fell, and got taken under. The hover pad of the rising tank soon burnt the man to a crisp, from head to foot, in a sweeping motion.. He wouldn’t have felt anything, apart from a sharp prickle. But still. Enterprise frowned and took the sword into both his hands.

He had known the man who was killed; he was a friend of his fathers. A nice man, he didn’t deserve that. Those were the only things running through his mind. Was this the reward for being a nice person? Is this what the world gave to a person who followed the rules? This wasn’t right. His mind was full of rage. He was an innocent, protecting his family. Enterprise looked over at the group in the centre. A woman was crying. The wife of the man, Enterprise recognised her. She was clutching a child, a little girl, she was screaming for her father… A father she’d never see again. How he could relate to that pain. How hard it had been to find out, how hard it was to cope, to lose something so important. He remembered himself. He remembered his pain, his heart sank to think of it. Tightly, his hands gripped the hilt of the sword. The child was screaming louder now, she could see her dead father, burnt and lying motionless, fried under the heat of the tanks hovering system. The more he watched, the more pain he felt, the more anger surged inside of him, like a great mass gathering more energy.

 A tank span around, it’s pulse cannon striking one of the men on the side of the head sending him flying feet away. He lay, motionless on the ground. Another child and mother started crying. Blood was starting to run and trickle where the man lay. More and more Enterprises rage built, until finally, it snapped, like a piece of string on fire, holding up a thousand weights. 

He launched himself at the closest tank, screaming with tears streaming from the sides of his face. He leapt through the air with the sword behind him in one hand. He gripped with his other hand and his feet to the side to the side of the closest tank. The people watched on, amazed at what the boy was doing. The tank had started to strafe left and right to try and shake him free. But it was no good. Enterprise drew the tip of the sword back, and then thrust it forwards into the control panel before him. There came a short buzz, and sparks briefly engulfed the blade. The latch spun open, and a cool wave of conditioned air flowed out. He withdrew the sword from the panel, and it was a split second before the boy was inside. The people outside heard a scream of anger. Enterprise charged his way through the tanks innards, until he finally arrived to the cockpit. The pilot turned around, wide eyed at the sight he met. Enterprise drove the sword down, ripping it messily into the mans neck. There was a moment of tension. But then the pilot gave a pathetic cough, and both of his hands raised to meet the blade buried now in his chest. There was another cough, a spray of blood, and the man collapsed, both his hands fell to his sides and he went limp over the side of the chair. Enterprise stared on, slightly shocked at himself. But then the image of that man came back to his mind, and his head was once again clear. He gripped the shoulder of the pilot, then dragged him out of the chair. Obviously the two other tanks were unaware of what had happened. But the people in the centre stared wide eyed in total confusion.

“Well sir, are we going to finish this then?” Came a call over the com from one of the two tanks beside him.

There was no reply.

“Sir?”

It was too late, the speaking pilot was too busy trying to raise the dead man, that he didn’t notice the tank beside him had come to face him. He turned pale, he was looking down the barrel of a pulse cannon. A moment later, and he was dead. The explosion sounded heavily, and the force knocked the people standing in the circle over, and sent them some feet along the ground. Molten chunks of cockpit flew into the night sky, then fell once more, scattering the ground with white hot debris. Enterprise snarled as he released the pulse button on the controls.

The second tank though was already wise to what was happening, it had jumped away the moment Enterprise had fired. The energy was already manifesting, Enterprise could see it. He frowned, then turned off the chair and ran through the tank. A small shudder rocked the frame of the vessel, meaning only the other tank had fired. He ran faster, knowing he only had a matter of seconds.

He made it, he had reached the hatch and jumped. He landed about five feet away, instantly, he starting running. Just in time too, as the pulse behind him connected with the cockpit, and just as the last tank. A large blast erupted from the front of the hull, tearing and ripping further down its frame, rocking the ground, while white hot molten debris shot into the air. Flames spewed out high and far from what was left of the wreckage.

Enterprises figure was just a shadow to the bright light emanating from behind him. It was all in vane though. The shockwave caught up with him, and threw the boy to the floor, sending him bumping and skidding for quite some way. Eventually he hit something, a wall, he wasn’t sure. But what ever it was, it stopped him. Pain was seeping all throughout his body; he could feel blood pouring down the side of his face. The light from the explosion had died down, and there was just a heavy rise of flames from what used to be a magnificent beast.

The firing tank though was now in front of him. He could feel the concentration of the pilot as he was taking aim at his body with the large Auto-cannon.

Enterprise closed his eyes tightly. He was ready, he’d done his best, he’d done his part. He sighed, then held his head high, while still laying in the crumpled position on the floor. He tried to stand, to try and feel as much honour as possible. But he couldn’t. Something was wrong with his legs.

The tank fired. The sound of the cannon fodder filled the area. The men who were guarding their wives and children were now rushing towards him. But they stopped and turned away the moment they heard they heard the shots. They didn’t want to see the results.

Enterprises life seemed to flash before his eyes. He could see his parents, together again. His father was still alive. He smiled to himself.

He heard the shots fire in the back of his mind. No pain reached him. His senses flared, then came the sound of the bullets ripping into flesh. Blood spilled to the floor in large pools; he felt some hit his leg where the bottom of his trousers had been ripped away from the blast. It was warm; he could feel it dripping down the side of his skin. There was a slight gagging noise, and then Enterprise opened his eyes. There in front of him, with both legs spread, and both arms held out in a fighting stance was Jumpэr. He had taken the force of each shot, and as the result, every shot had aimed true, and pierced the young mans limbs, chest and skin. Blood was seeping heavily to the floor through his clothes.

“No... No!” Enterprise screamed out emotionally as he pushed himself up. His eyes were wildly open, staring up at the sight. Jumpэr coughed, blood began running down the sides of his mouth. He fell backwards against the wall, landing against Enterprise.  He looked on horrified and as white as a ghost. Quickly he took Jumpэrs hand and held it tight against him. Tears were beginning to stream down the sides of his cheeks.

Rain started to fall, hard heavy rain. It began bouncing from the floor, hitting everything in its path. It clotted up Enterprises hair as he managed to get to his knees, and bend over his fallen friend. He wept as both tears and rain fell from his face, falling down onto Jumpэrs tattered body. Again he coughed, and more blood spilled from his mouth and wounds.

“Why… Why did you do this?” Enterprise called out.

Jumpэr responded weakly. His breathe was short, and his sentences jumbled.

“I did it, so you can live, on… I… I have seen you…In my dreams… you will do - great things… You are needed. You have a … future. Live… Live o…On! This was my destiny… To save the child of… Of…”

There was a look of pain in his eyes. The rain was mixing with the blood and tears across his face. What were once Jumpэrs beautiful thick strands of blonde hair were now just clumps of hair, stained red with blood.

There were screams behind them. The men had risen up and jumped onto the tank, and were starting to do as Enterprise had earlier done with make shift weapons, and they were beating at the control panel, and weak parts of the hull.

Enterprise crouched down further as Jumpэr raises his hand and gripped onto the neck of his shirt to pull him closer. Enterprise saw he was unable to focus. Instead of lying now in a pool of rain water, it had become a pool of blood.

“T…Take… M...My… Words…And Listen to…” Each word sounded like it was a struggle to survive.

A moment went by. Enterprise watched his eyes. They were still. He pulled his hand up to meet Jumpэrs on the neck of his top. He gripped hard. Then pulled the limp limb away, and gently laid the hand against Jumpэrs side.

 “He then raised another hand to Jumpэrs face and closed his eyes with the tips of his fingers. His own eyes closed tight. He bent down and pressed his own face against his. Their tears, their blood and their warmth met. They stayed that way for minutes, before blast smashed beside them. They were getting closer.

“I’ll never forget…” Enterprise said under his breath. He noticed Jumpэrs band around his head. One shaking hand raised, and took it from him. Hair fell to one side as he pulled it away, wrapped it in his hand.

“I’ll never let forget!” He repeated, this time louder. Emotions were starting to run through his mind, dormant ones that up until then had stayed quiet.

Shouts were heard behind him. “The BlackDragons forces are here! We’re saved!”

“I’ll never forget!!” His scream was now of rage. Their bodies were still close together.

There was a sudden explosion of the wall behind them. Bright light filled the area, and both of them went soaring into the air from the force. Enterprise struggled to stay connected to Jumpэr as he clung tightly to his hands. His body though was just like a limp piece of paper fighting with the wind. Soon enough, Jumpэrs fingers were too much to bare, and they slid from their grip with his hands. Enterprise watched on helplessly as his friend’s body, the person who just died for him, the bravest man in the world he’d ever seen, was carried away by the wave of energy.

After that, Enterprise allowed himself to fall victim too to the energy, and his body rose with the wave, and too was carried off. His mind suddenly became dark and black as he faded from consciousness.

 

 

Enterprise sighed while he still sat and stared down at the flames bouncing from the fire. The warm body in his arms was comforting. He sighed again, and rested his head onto Mizti’s shoulder; the hand fell from the red band around his head, and again, fixed them around the soft chest.

“I’ll never forget.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                   

 

The fire was still raging in their little encampment. Soon a small hum came through the earth and travelled through each pilot. They looked at each other. The tanks were powered down, they couldn’t say if an enemy was near or not. Tinkerbell crossed her fingers as they looked at the hills.

After a moment or two, a tank emerged over the horizon, and then landed against the two WaW tanks. It was Winter. A hiss sounded as the hatch swung open. A few moments later, a body dropped from the roof against the fire. 

 Winter stood tall as she took off her helmet. Her dark coloured hair, fell from the trapped hold of the helmet as it came away.

Everyone looked, especially Tinkerbell, who paused, before asking her worried question.

“Is Snow..”

But she was cut short. Slowly, another object appeared over the hill. It’s surface was coloured by the bask of the fire. It flickered with the flames. It stayed there for a while too, before advancing further down the hill, and landing against Winters tank. It was Snow herself.

The canopy of the cockpit blew open, steam poured from the connections of the hull.

Snow dropped to the ground, she was still shaking, and her head was bowed deeply.

A pause followed. “It’s ok Snow, everything is ok now.” Spoke Tinkerbell as she raised to her feet. She stepped over to Snow, greeting her with open arms. Snow in return, thrust herself forwards, keeping her head down. Her hair was covering her face. Tinkerbell wrapped her arms tightly around Snows shoulders. Small shuddering weeping sounds shook from her as she leaned into the embrace.

“It’s ok, Mizti is safe, and everything is ok.” Tinkerbell repeated as she tightened the hold.

Enterprise watched on, fascinated by the events, both the girls, one in his own embrace, and that other in the one called Tinkerbell’s, both so young and innocent, both so fragile. He had tried to kill them both; he turned his face away ashamed.

 There was a few minutes before Snow was finally coaxed next to the fire. When she did finally sit down, she still kept her head bowed, with her hair full down over her face.

Winter took a seat against Tinkerbell, then collapsed her head on her shoulder.

“Why me.” Winter mumbled under her breath.

“It couldn’t have been that bad.” Tinkerbell laughed under her breath.

“It wouldn’t have been if Miss Trouble maker over there hadn’t have shot her with a pulse.” Winter nodded towards Hawk, who was sitting still, with her helmet still firmly over her head.

BlackDragon was staring into the fire too. His eyes were silhouettes for the fire. The flames danced against his pupils as the break in conversation gave him a small chance to think about his thoughts.

There was a yawn. Enterprise raised a brow, and looked down to his arms. Mizti was becoming restless in his hold. Instantly his eyes darted to BlackDragon, who grinned in return. Suddenly Enterprise felt a little set up.

Mizti’s deep blue eyes slowly blinked open. She looked up at the fire first, and then yawned again, a deep stretching yawn. She twisted, and then tried to raise her arms, but found them bound by what appeared to her as another set of arms. They were large and muscular. Mizti’s head twisted and craned. Both their noses almost touched as her eyes gazed into Enterprises, who at the last known point had held her captive? It took her a few seconds to come to the right frame of mind before she let out a short whine. Enterprises arms were still tightly hugged around her chest. She felt it and blushed, but at the same time frowned.

“Urm…” Enterprise was about to explain, but it was too late. Mizti twisted her body and threw her hand down, pressing her it against the floor for leverage. The other hand though, rose and rocketed through the air, the flying hands aim was true. The slap connected against the side of Enterprises cheek, then carried on for almost another half a meter with sheer momentum.

BlackDragon chortled, but at the same time felt his pain and winced under his breath. “The ethics of women always amuses me.” Tinkerbell laughed at the statement.

A deep red mark was slowly settling onto Enterprises face. He was confused; he didn’t know what to do. Mizti was just as startled. She had lost the forceful pose and as now wrestling against his arms.

Tinkerbell and BlackDragon had fallen into fits of laughter as they watched from the safety of the fire. Now from a loss of thought, Mizti dropped her head snarling, and sank her teeth deep into the nearest mouthful of flesh she could reach. Enterprise responded quickly and flung both his arms upwards, letting out howls of pain as one hand gripped over the already bruising teeth mark.

Again Tinkerbell and BlackDragon laughed as Mizti, realising she’d escaped, gave of a look of triumph, then got to her knees, and came crawling towards the fire. The flames were dancing on her face, she could feel the camps warmth envelope her body.

 She was almost there too, but from her side, she was knocked sprawling helplessly to the ground.

She lay there for a moment stunned, but then realised she wasn’t alone. She looked down, with a whimper. The pain was still flowing through her body, like some long link of bee stings, channelling their way though the major parts of her body.

 Snow was attached to her waist. Her face was pressed against Mizti’s bare, painful skin from where the body suit had been torn away in the blast.

Shadows of odd shapes were bouncing behind them on the floor, rising and curling with the dancing flames beside them. Whimpers and moans were still flowing through the air beside them though as Enterprise twisted and cried out still in pain.

Snow whined and Mizti winced. She looked to Snow, then to the fire, and for the first time caught a sight of Tinkerbell, who nodded, and grinned. She was trying to stifle her laughter under her breathe. She looked around more, and then saw Winter, there was a little tension in her mind, so she looked away, feeling a little pang of guilt. When she did, she found herself looking into those deep entrancing eyes, those piercing, judging orbs of the dark haired, shadowy man. She was caught off guard.

 What was happening, why was he here, why was everyone together? Everyone seemed happy. Then a gleam from the corner of her eyes made her startle. She looked and saw a second shadowy figure by the fire. They were sitting next to the shadow man. They seemed familiar. The fire was projecting light from a smartly designed metallic surface on their face. She squinted her eyes, it reminded her of something, an animal, perhaps a bird. No, a hawk…Yes, that was it, a Hawk. She froze.

“Hawk…” She managed to muster under her breathe.

Snows ears prickled at the name, making her hug tighter, which made Mizti wince again.

“Why… What’s happening” Started Mizti.

“It’s ok, everything will be explained later.” Came Tinkerbells swift reply.

“I ran as fast I could to get help, I thought we’d never see you again!” Snow finally chirped in a hushed voice. Mizti looked down, she was unsure of what to say. She blushed with a slight embarrassment, but then raised her hand and pressed it against the side of Snows head.

Finally she withdrew herself from holding on to Mizti, and got up onto her knees.

“You’re in such a state. I’m sorry, it was all my fault. I shouldn’t have let that stupid tank get away.”

“Urm, excuse me, I’m right here.” Enterprise spoke up, while still holding his arm in pain. “ And I chased you, it’s not like I ran…” The moment those words left his mouth, he knew she should have just kept quiet.

There was a pause, then a scream. A short blurred haze shot through the air, then a sound echoed through the camp, a loud and piercing thumping sound. Before anyone could act, Enterprise was bouncing along the floor. Snow was standing with her arm extended and out, fist balled, in an after stance. She’d sent the lad rocketing across the ground.

Finally he stopped and landed to his stomach. If this kept up, he’d be in no better state then Mizti was.

“Talk to me again and see what you get you idiot! This is all your fault! I’m going to kill you!” She screamed.

“… I thought you just said this was all your fault…” muttered Enterprise under his breathe as he rubbed his face. Again, why didn’t he just keep quiet?

“What was that?!” Already she was backing up, drawing a flaming log from the fire. She held it up high over her head and charged. With a yelp, Enterprise was up and running, with the young girl at his heels, taking swipes every chance she got.

All that was heard from the camp was laughter. Even Hawk was amused under her helmet.

More hours had passed, and the fire was still burning just as bright as it did when it was first sent flaming into life.

It seemed like BlackDragon and Tinkerbell would talk all through the night given the chance. Winterheart was muttering something to Hawk, who still had her helmet on, and as far as anyone could tell, was still staring straight into the fire.

Snow was laying on her side, with her head on Mizti’s thigh. Winterheart, who had given her some basic, but needed medical attention, was sitting on the opposite side of Snow to Mizti, tracing her hand up and down Snows leg soothingly. She was still obviously upset. Chasing and beating Enterprise with the flaming log hadn’t done a thing to quell her spirits.

Still the red hot flames rose into the air, hypnotic in a way. Nursing a few bruises, Enterprise had positioned himself between Tinkerbell and Mizti. Not right next to them, of course, there was about a meter gap between them both, just to give him ample time if anyone would go for him again.

He sighed as he looked to the fire. The thoughts of all those years past plagued his mind still. His head turned a little, and his eyes rose up to Mizti discretely. He wondered what things she had seen what upsetting things had she been through to mould her into what she was now. What pain, what joy, what distress may have she experienced. Those large glimmering eyes, what had they seen, what had they cried over.

The fire seemed to intensify the glum atmosphere between all of Hawk, Winter, Snow, Mizti and Enterprise.  It was said that mans mind and thoughts were born from fire. Back when fire was first made, man would gather around great bellows of flaming wood and moss that would burn all through the night, and just sit and stare while the hypnotic flames produced and teased out thoughts and images within their under-developed imaginations.

Fire was the focal point for everyone. Anyone could relate to a wisp of bright flame, become encapsulated by every shadow that would be thrown from the ground, and sit and wonder as they stared into the centre of the yellow burning hot eye.

Parts of burning ash rose up and out of the fire, glowing with their heated embers still aflame. The light was bouncing playfully from Mizti’s face; Enterprise saw it all, the shadows falling from her hair, the dark untouched ridges of her elongated ears. He was captivated.

No one noticed, but Tinkerbell and BlackDragon had stopped talking, and were staring at Enterprise. He didn’t see them of course. Tinkerbell smiled, it had been a long time since she’d seen anything remotely like the look Enterprise had in his eye. BlackDragon could see it to. They looked at each other, then smiled again, and looked back.

Enterprise was fighting with himself, it was easy to see. He wanted to go over and apologise. He still hadn’t explained what it was he was doing holding her chest in the first place. He still couldn’t believe he had tried to kill both of the girls. They reminded him so much of the young women and mothers that were desperately trying to hold onto their children, back at Gatzu when the Empire attacked, they were the very people he fought to protect. Had he become like those pilots in the tanks?

Mizti looked up suddenly, straight into Enterprises gaze. He blushed, then darted his head back towards the fire. A cool rush of insulin came streaming through his body. Sweat gathered a little on his forehead. Why was he acting like this.

“Excuse me.” Mizti called in a hushed voice. Snow had fallen asleep. Enterprise looked up, he pretending to scratch his face to hide a little of the redness spreading through his face. His eyes rose and met hers for a brief moment, but then dropped to the floor; he didn’t dare look at her again for fear of how his body may again turn against him again.

“Are you the one who got my scout?”

Enterprise bowed his head and nodded.

“I, I never saw it coming.” She mumbled.

“I’m sorry, If I knew you weren’t from the Empire…”

“It’s okay.” Mizti paused and sighed. “Thank you.”

“What for?” Enterprise blinked a little.

“For making me realise. I don’t know how it works in your faction. But in mine, there’s a system, which won’t you pilot a tank, until you have the required skills. And they have to be recognised by a superior. And all I wanted to desperately to be a tank pilot. They say that I’m missing skills at the moment, so I can’t. Actually, I’m more of a joke around the base. Snow here is almost two years younger then me, and she’s as good a Scout pilot as I am. I have a feeling they’re going to be moving her to Tanks soon.” Mizti’s eyes fell to the logs at the base of the fire, alive with the bright embers which gave life to the soaring high flames.

“But, how did I make you realise what ever it is you’re thanking me for.” For reasons unknown to him, he had the feeling he was abut to receive a large amount of guilt.

“When you took out my scout…I never saw you coming. I was just occupied on talking to Snow. I didn’t know what was happening. I was scared, so scared. I thought I was going to die. I was so pathetic. The truth is people must die like that all the time. One minute they’re there, the next, there’s just, blackness. Would people who die, know they’re dead? It all happened too quickly. I’m not ready for things like that… I understand now what people say when I’m under-skilled. Letting your missiles hit me was a mistake no one else would have made, just me.”

Enterprise sighed. Guilt was seeping through his body now, like water down a waterfall, it made his chest ache. One of his hands rose to his forehead and touched against the red band. He frowned slightly then drew himself up, turned his head around so his eyes met her face.

“At least you’re learning. Next time you may not make that mistake. People learn, that’s what they do. You’re acting as if it’s too late to learn, but if you’re not in a Tank by now, there must be something you have to work at. There must be one or two things you could be doing better, or at least improve on. Tell me, what do you think they would put Snow in a tank?” As he said her name, instinct made him sway away further from where she lay.

“I, I don’t know, because everyone likes her. She can lead people. She leads me, she bosses me around sometimes. She’s younger then me, but wise in so many more ways. I think it’s just because she’s a leader, and I’m just made to follow orders.”

“But she looks up to you. Earlier, when you were crawling towards the fire, after you got up…” He realised he was subconsciously rubbing the bite mark still. “…The way she reacted to seeing you again. She must care for you a lot. Was she commanding when she went and pleaded for help from your commander? Even for her to cry in front of you, if she didn’t look up to you, there’s no way she would do something like that. Even now, she’s sleeping on you, she must feel safe with you, she must think of you as a protector, and If you ask me right now, I think it’s you who holds more authority.”

There was a small laugh; it didn’t come from either of them. Not even Snow.

“That boy’s wise beyond his years.” It was Winter, she’d been listening on the conversation, while at the same time comforting Snow. Both Mizti and Enterprise blushed more. Snow wrestled in her lap. Winter kept her eyes down while looking at Snow. She moved closer and started to run a hand across her hair.

“He’s right you know. She does look up to you. She’s always talking about you. ‘Me and Mizti did this’, or ‘me and Mizti did that’. She’s always talking about the things you do as well, she thinks the world of you. I think she’d be lost if you were never around, maybe that’s what got her in so much of a twist. If it were anyone else, I’m sure they wouldn’t have put that much belief in you being safe. If anyone walks away from what you went through it’s a miracle. I want to know how you did by the way…”

Winters gaze never broke away from her hand as It swept back and fourth over Snows soft shoulder.  She smiled to herself and closed her eyes.

“She even stood up to me too. I’ve never known her to talk back to anyone… It must have been hard for too, with Hawk being here as well.” Mizti nodded in turn as Winter carried on. “She’s so different then her mother. She just watches on as her daughter goes through all kinds of trouble, and then lets her deal with it on her own. I think she just wants to go through the same kind of experiences, and learn the same ways she did. Maybe Hawk was one day like Snow; small, fragile and excitable… Maybe even one day Snow will turn out like her, it’s yet to be seen, but as for you being capable for piloting a tank, I think you’re more then ready, but it’s not my place to say.” Winter frowned and raised her head up to Tinkerbell, then looked down again. She was still talking away and laughing with BlackDragon.

Mizti looked up at her, had turned her face a glowing orange against the night sky. She seemed wiser then she had ever done anytime Mizti had seen her. Maybe this was the way the world worked she thought. For every person there lived, there was someone who looked up to them, and that person who was being looked up to, they looked up to someone else, in this case, it was Snow looking up to her, and in turn her looking up to Winter. She felt safe with her, she knew if there was trouble, she would go to Winter, then everything would be better. Was this the case with Snow? Did she make her feel better when Snow was troubled? Again she stared down at Snows head. She seemed so small. Enterprise stood up against the fire. His frame was instantly silhouetted against the floor for meters away.

He took a deep breathe and looked to his tank.

“Where are you going?” Mizti called up quietly.

“I just thought I’d go for a little walk, you don’t need me here to listen in on your personal stuff.”

“Oh…” she looked down at Snow and nodded slightly. Winters arm then came sweeping past her face. Mizti looked up to her, but her eyes were closed, and she wore a small grin.

“Go, I’ll take care of terror here.” She motioned her away with her hand.

“Mizti smiled back at her, then looked back down at Snow. She was about to ask how she’d get her off without waking her, but Winter was already at her side, scooping an arm under her neck, instantly taking the weight from Mizti’s thigh. She got up quickly, while Winter positioned herself in the same way Mizti had been sitting. Maybe it was her, but there was something about the way Winter was acting, it seemed, if she could put any word to it, that she’d come across as being broody all of a sudden. She watched Winter again for a moment, and then turned around to Enterprise, he had his eyes on his commander. He realised Mizti had turned around as he saw her from the corner of his eye walking towards her.

“Do you know about your friend Hawk?” He asked her while turning his head.

“Know what about her?” Mizti blinked, surprised the subject had changed onto Hawk.

“That she’s my leaders kin.” He said matter-of-factly.

“…His kin?” Mizti had heard the word before, but didn’t know quite what it meant. “Family?”

“Very much so, he’s Hawks brother.”

“…Her brother?!” Mizti turned around at Hawk, shocked. She didn’t see it, but she was sure that Hawk was looking back, through that closed visor, reflecting the flames in the dark night.

She then turned to Snow, she wondered if the leader knew. He must, he’d been talking to Tinkerbell for long enough. But then again, Tinkerbell was the kind of person who let person things be told by the people they were personal with. Mizti bit her lip slightly, then turned back to Enterprise. She nodded slightly, to show she understood. He turned, and walked off towards the Women at War tanks. Mizti followed behind, catching up to his side almost immediately.

“I’m sorry about slapping and biting you.” Mizti finally said as she broke the silence. For once, Enterprise found he wasn’t rubbing his arm where she had in fact sunk her teeth into his flesh.

“Don’t worry about it, I know you were scared. I would have been too.”

“I just didn’t know where I was, one minute I’m in a tank, the next I’m on the floor, then I’m outside, and the way you were holding me just frightened me. No one’s ever held me there before, apart from doctors and nurses. She blushed, and so did Enterprise.

“Yeah, urm, sorry about that, I was under orders, BlackDragon told me to keep you warm. I’m not usually that forward.” They both stopped between Tinkerbell’s and Winters tank. Enterprise pushed himself back to lean up against Winters. Mizti watched, and then sat down. It was colder between the tanks then it was at the fire. Enterprise let himself fall, his back trailing against the smooth hull of the ship behind him, until he hit the ground with a soft thud.

“My head hurts. There’s so many things going around in my mind.” Mizti whimpered.

Enterprise opened an eye and looked at her, then came the other eye. Soon after, he was staring openly. He didn’t know what was wrong, there was just something about how she was just sitting cross legged on the floor. There was nothing special, nothing he could see at least anyway.

Her face looked tired. Her eyes were half shut, but she wore a faint smile as she gazed off distantly. Again, this unknown force steered him. He was up, onto his knees and moving towards her. One arm drew out, then curled around the girls shoulder. It pulled him down into her, soon as well, the other arm was draping around her front. He hooked his fingers below her thigh, then scooped her up. She gave no protest as she came away from the floor. Using his knees, he carried them both next to the tank. He then sat down, with his back against the cold steel, wincing as he could feel it through his black body suit. Mizti’s mind was just a haze, she didn’t care what was happening, she held the same distant blank gaze as she was lowered onto his lap sideward, with her arm moving around the back of his neck.. The boy felt warm, and strong. His body was like a small generator amidst the breeze which had seemed to pick up and was starting to goose bump the bare patches of skin. She smiled more, for the first time all day she felt safe. Safer then she’d ever been. The feeling only increased as the hand from underneath her thigh rose and locked around her chest, coupling with the other. This time she didn’t seem to mind. Her head fell against the ridge of his neck, finally, she thought, a chance to rest her tiresome mind.

The chill was overcoming for Enterprise after spending so much time against the fire, but for some reason he didn’t mind, he was quite comfortable. He still didn’t understand what quite made him so forward again, but still, he didn’t quite care.

Mizti’s half opened glance caught onto that of Enterprises eyes, glinting in the moon light, and for the rest of what Mizti could remember, there was complete silence as both their bodies shared their combined warmth as one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                

 

Mizti had long since fallen asleep, with Enterprise lying contently beneath her. The fire had finally been reduced to a small pile of smouldering ashes., and daylight was beginning to shine over the horizon forcing the sky to transform into a light pink haze.

 There was still muttering coming from beside the camp, as Tinkerbell and BlackDragon continued their conversation.

Winter opened an eye. There as due on her cheek from laying against the grass and her body was curled around something at her stomach. She took a glance, and found it was Snow, laying still with her head rested on her and her knees huddled up against her body. A small sigh manifested in Winters mouth, then as a small trail of warm cloudy vapour into the air in front of her face.

There was a surge in the ground, and everyone looked up at the tanks behind them, Enterprise too stirred and opened his eyes and looked around.

The shuddering ground was emanating from Hawks tank. Obviously she’d woken too.

A small beeping came from the side of Tinkerbells legs. She looked down to see her helmet signalling her. Smart things those helmets. Tinkerbell looked at BlackDragon then to her helmet and blushes slightly. She lowered her hands and picked up the smoothly shaped head piece and brought it over her hair, fixing it down under her face. After pressing the com button at the rear of the helmet, the noise stopped.

BlackDragon heard a small murmur, and then Tinkerbell shot up, standing tall and swaying slightly. She pointed herself in the direction of her tank and ran as fast as she could. BlackDragon followed quickly and found her surprisingly hard to keep up with.

Enterprises eyes widened as Tinkerbell shot past, only narrowly missing his head, but when he turned his head up to see what was happening, she’d disappeared into thin air. A small clink sounded above them and he looked up, seeing Tinkerbells legs disappearing into the hatchway of her Tank. More fast paced footsteps sounded and Enterprise looked over Mizti’s shoulder, only to lock eyes with his commander.

“Shall I not ask?” Sneered BlackDragon as he stopped against them both and looked up.

Enterprise found himself blushing and his eyes already darting away.

“It’s not what you think sir! She was cold and in pain, so I was keeping her warm like you ordered!” He stammered.

“It would have made much more sense to do I by the fire then, wouldn’t it?” He laughed under his breathe, but before Enterprise could respond, Tinkerbells head re-appeared from the hatch, she called out down to him.

“Everyone get in your tanks and follow me back to our base  You too BlackDragons, we’re going for a ride, and a most productive one too!”

BlackDragon grinned, he liked productive excavations. He nodded then looked down to Enterprise.

“Take the girl to your tank, try not to wake her, she’s been through enough already.”

Enterprise nodded, and then looked in puzzlement for a moment. He was laying face up, with the girl laying face down on his body, how that had happened, he didn’t know, but both arms raised and locked around her body. To BlackDragons amusement, he watched on as Enterprise attempted to gently switch positions by rolling themselves both over. There was a muffled chuckle, and Enterprise shot up a surprising look of annoyance and frustration, making BlackDragon only laugh more. He threw up his hands, then walked away, back towards his tank.

Enterprise on the other hand, had managed to get them both on their sides, but was finding it tricky not to let Mizti’s legs loll to the ground, which may eventually wake her up.

After much confusion, many tears and complaining everyone was in their tank, Winter had got wind of what was happening, and woken up Snow, who instantly tried to go back to sleep, but when she realised she had to get up, she only complained how Mizti got to stay sleeping away in Enterprises tank as the rest of them had to drive for hours to get back to the base, she stayed in her huff, all the way up until they were ready to set off.

All tanks, and the one scout were up and going, and the convoy had grouped together, just below the banks of the hills. The group was lead by Tinkerbell, with BlackDragon behind, with both Winter and Hawk flanking him, Snow and Enterprise brought up the rear, which only gave Snow more reason to complain.

Despite all the set backs though, they set off in the direction of the base, keeping strictly in thei same formation.

It was indeed a few hours before they got back to the base. One by one, their tanks landed, and their pilots came jumping out.

The sight that greeted them was amazing. There must have been at least ten tanks lined up in a single coulomb, stretching far out before them, each spaced quite a distance apart.

Snow was the first to act, she ran out towards them, weaving in and out of the line, checking each hull marking and code as she darted past.

Tinkerbell, Snow and Hawk all removed their helmets and looked on, at what was the start of the next bold step to take down the Empire. All in all Winter thought, the day hadn’t started to badly after all, the long drive was well worth it.

There was a squeal from down the line somewhere, Snow had, as it seemed, found what she was looking for.

BlackDragon and Enterprise appeared from the sides of their Tanks, BlackDragon held a great look of triumph.

Mizti came stumbling from Enterprises tank soon after, still half asleep.

“I heard a squeal…” Mizti mumbled. She then paused and yawned while rubbing her eyes with the backs of her dirty hands. As she opened her eyes again, she focused on the line of tanks before her, each bearing a different crest and signature. They were much larger then the normal standard tanks and they were adorned with the various colours of the factions.

Mizti’s eyes opened fully and she looked from left to right.

“What’s going on?” She asked, her mind still a daze.

“They’re here.” Tinkerbell laughed and closed her eyes smugly.

Mizti frowned, then took Enterprises hand, if Snow got there before her she’d never forgive herself. Then, setting off and dragging the boy behind her, she started to sprint towards the tanks, but as she did, the pain down her left side suddenly made itself apparent once more. From the sprint, she started to stagger, and pretty soon was almost down to one knee, every step was filled with pain. If it weren’t for Enterprise supporting her, she surely would have fallen. A cry of frustration enveloped her as she turned around to the others, and then found she’d only come a few feet from where she started. Another cry erupted from her mouth, this time pathetic and small.

“Now’now, hold on brat.” Grinned Winter, obviously back to her old self. “I’m taking you to see a medic…”

“Now?!” Mizti whined.

“There’s no time like the present, now come on.”

Enterprise stood up straight, pulling Mizti back up with him. One of her arms was draped around his large frame and her body hung like a limp rag doll.

“You can get a change of clothes too” Tinkerbell called.

“And a wash, I can smell you from here.” Hawk said in a hushed monatomic way that made Winter shudder.

For the first time Tinkerbell noticed all the people running around excitedly, and pretty soon, two officers appeared at her heals, obviously experienced and senior. She watched as Winter took Mizti from Enterprise, then dragged her off towards the first aid building, Enterprise himself joined BlackDragon who stood behind her.

“Miss, everyone’s waiting for you in Kestrel. They arrived an hour ago.” Spoke one senior officer, it was Peaches. She had her helmet off of course, and her hair was tightly held back in a long fuzzy pony tail, with two single twisty columns running down the side of her face.

“We’ve explained to them that you’ve been gone all night, looking for a junior pilot who was lost in battle,” The second officer explained, this was Aeima, “…And we pressed the importance of your presence there.”

“Good.” Replied Tinkerbell, then she nodded. “Well, join them and relay my regret for my delay. Tell them I’ll be up within ten minutes, I just need to go and freshen up. Take this gentleman here, BlackDragon with you and give him a seat, I think they should remember him, if not all, then some of them.”

She paused for a moment then turned around to Enterprise, then back to Peaches and Aeima. “Also, take this boy to the medic to join Mizti, I don’t think Winterhearts bedside manner is quite up to scratch. Oh, and if you see Snow, inform her that Mizti’s with the medic, and no doubt will be for a while, I should think you’ll find her in the recreational facility, I see The Dead Rabbits, and Team special Forces are here, no doubt that means the obvious.”   

Tinkerbell shook her head with a little pity. Finally, she turned around to Hawk, who looked up instantly, almost as if she knew what was going to happen. “Hawk, I want you to go to the star-charts in Kestrel and add the location or the rough location at least, of where you think the BlackDragons region is on the map’s memory, work with SevenOffLine if you have to.

There was a moment of hesitation before Hawk placed her ankles together and bowed, then walked off. Tinkerbell knew the feelings between the two, but pairing them off wouldn’t hurt their clash of ego. “Now then, she announced to the two officers, you have your orders, and remember, press the issue with Snow if you run into her.”

“Aye Miss.” The two said in Unison.

Tinkerbell turned to BlackDragon and Enterprise, and raised an arm towards the two girls, ushering the two men to join them, both bowed, and walked off, lead by the officers.

Tinkerbell sighed, and looked over the base. This was the time of change, she could feel it.

 

Winter was standing in the corner of a surprisingly white room. Everything was white, even the furniture. There were chambers in the far end to the opposite side of her. There was a body inside Mizti was inside one of them. She was wearing across her face an oxygen mask with a tube, which reached up to the very top of the unit, and all around here there was a strange purple tinted liquid, and bubbles were fluming past her almost naked body, hitting and bouncing from her skin. The only items she wore apart from the mask was a light bandage around her chest, and a thin thong like set of underwear, as seemed to be the idea of the user had to be as less clad as possible. She seemed unconscious in the holder, her frame afloat in the gel being held up by the bubbles. Her whole face was enveloped by her hair which was streaming around her face, the strands curling every which way, as if they all had independent thought.

Winters ears burned as she heard footsteps enter the room. She looked up, only to find Snow running up to the containers, as two men followed her. One of them turned around to Winter, he had short brown hair, dark eyes and a strong chin. He wore a pale blue body suit over his shapely body. As soon as he met Winters gaze he stopped and back stepped. Instantly the man reached for the other, who paused, He had short hair too, but his was blonde, and his face was a little more confused then the others. His body suit was red, and after looking at his comrades face, he also back stepped. It was an amusing sight for Winter, both of them had turned white as ghosts and were whining with a nervous laugh.

“Imperium, Personmán.” Winter craned her neck and closed her eyes trying her best to stifle a growing smirk.

“Hah… hah Miss. Winter, how unexpected… How, how are you?” The man called Imperium stammered as he started to back step towards the door, holding Personmán tightly by the shoulders in front of him to use as a human shield incase things may suddenly go wrong.

“Yes… Hah…Hi Miss Winterheart! I didn’t see you there.” Personmán rushed quickly, stammering just as much as Imperium. “How – How are you?”

“Oh – I’m fine…” She muttered.

There was a generalised sighing sound as the two relaxed, and stopped walking backwards. Imperium slowly let go of Personmán and stepped out from behind him. A moment of silence passed, but then there was a sudden roar as Winter took flight, throwing herself from the wall towards them with one fist cocked behind her back. Her eyes seemed fierce and wild.

“If I ever catch you watching me dress again you’ll never have children! You bastards!”

Instantly Imperium and Personmán retreated as fast as possible towards the door.

“I can’t believe how easy it was to get in here! I tell you, play the sympathy card every time and there’s only good things around every corner! Now lets go see that naked girl!” Came a voice oddly enough from around the corner of the door, but it was too late for anything to register in either Imperium or Personmáns mind. There came a crash so loud, that it stopped Winterheart dead in her tracks, the voice sounded familiar to her. There sprawled out on the floor were now four men. Unfortunately, but fortunately for Winter, at the bottom of the pile was Imperium, then next Personmán, she also knew the third, It was the boy from the retrieval mission, Enterprise. The fourth body made her raise a brow, a long and questioning one. A pathetic voice, quite different from the one heard around the corner of the door arose from his stunned mouth.

“Oh… Hah, hello dear.”

It was Hobbes. Winter and Hobbes had been in a relationship for quite sometime, their past was complicated and hard to explain. Hobbes was tall, good looking and manly. In a sense, he was lush, his long hair jostled by the side of his ears, and his dark blue body suit couldn’t help but reflect the light of the ridges of his built up body.

“So, you want to see naked women do you?!” Winter rounded on him without hesitation.

“No, no! Of course not! I just wanted to see if the girl was okay, you know how I feel towards other people, I do so care about their suffering!”

Enterprise was sure he saw Hobbes bat his eye lids.

“Don’t you dare expect me to believe that Mr. ‘UseTheSympathyCard’! If I ever catch you doing anything – No, if you ever do anything like this again, I’ll make it so you can’t have children! Do you hear me?!” Winter stood towering over Hobbes and the others. Her fists were balled out and in front of her, and veins were throbbing through her temples.

“I promise, just don’t shout at me anymore!” Imperium cried pathetically from somewhere under them. Winter then frowned and stepped on Hobbes stomach, pushing her up and over the stack, all of the men underneath wheezed, especially Hobbes who took the full force of the weight and cried out, she then strode out through the door and down the corridor before finally reaching outside, with her head held high.

“Ha-ha, you’re in the dog house Hobbes.” Personmán sniggered from near the bottom of the pile.

Hobbes didn’t reply, he just rolled off them all and got to his feet, clutching his stomach with one hand. He looked down, then growled and ran out in the wake of Winter. One by one, they all stood to their feet. They all looked at each other, then Imperium and Personmán charged into the room, seemingly overjoyed. Enterprise looked confused, then just stepped into the white room, gazing around. It was only a matter of time before he reached the containers where the other two had joined with Snow, who had spent all this time gazing up at Mizti’s face.

“What’s this she’s in?” Enterprise slanted his head a little, trying to make it out.

“What? The purple stuff? It’s called DNA-Regenquid” Snow informed him in a matter-of-factly way.

It’s a concentrated mixture of anti-bodies and synthesized automated blood-platelets infused with the users DNA. The Anti bodies act as a sort of anti-septic defence against infections and burns, while the blood platelets repair any physical damage acting on the information from the DNA. There’s some sort of natural remedy in there too which treats and cools tired muscles.

“Sounds like clever stuff.” Enterprise muttered and looked down to see Imperium and Personmán with their faces pressed hard against the glass.

“Get away from there you perverts!” Snow screamed.

“Hah, you wish, we’re getting our moneys worth.” Imperium replied.

“Oh my god! I can see her…” But Personmán was cut short by his discovery

“Get away from there before I make it so you can’t have babies!” Came a husky booming voice behind them.

Both men froze, then stood up slowly, they again were just as equally white. They both looked at each other as sweat gathered on their foreheads.

“Ooh! I see! So that’s how Regenquid works, eh?” Personmán stammered quickly off the top of his head, and then pulled a dignified pose.

Desperate, Imperium followed and placed both hands to his chest as if grabbing some sort of imaginary set of lapels. “I know, it’s extraordinary isn’t it?...” He paused, it didn’t sound authentic enough, and so he went on and adding in a rather fake upper class tone of voice; “It is such a pity that the people have to be so naked through the process of course! It almost disgusts one!”

“Oh indeed! Very much so” Personmán too added quickly.

There were fits of laughter from behind them. Enterprise had gone down to the floor clutching his chest laughing out of control. Both turned around to look, and found Snow with a rather twisted grin on her face.

“Morons.” She uttered in the same hoarse, impression of Winter.

“Very nice impression came a second more mature, hoarse from the back of the room. Now it was Snow who turned white. She turned around to see Winter walking towards them.

“Winter! I … I was just..”

“Don’t bother, it’s alright. But as for these two…” Winter growled as she cut off Snows apology.

Instantly they fell from their dignified posture, and were already crying out trying to climb on top of the capsule containing Mizti. Imperium was desperately trying to climb onto Personmáns shoulders out of her reach, but before he could get the second leg up, Winter had grabbed them both by the ear, and was starting to quickly drag them towards the door.

“Perverts” Snow muttered and shook her head.

Enterprise, who was still on the floor, had stopped laughing the moment Winter had gotten hold of the two, and instead, cringed sympathetically as they were escorted out. He stopped and looked up at Snow, who was staring at the vat with Mizti in with the same gaze he had seen the night before by the fire, when Snow had been rejoined with her team mate.

“She’s important to you, isn’t she?”  Enterprise said quietly, feeling the air of tranquillity throughout the white room.

Snows brow turned into a frown and her eyes closed to nothing more then small slits, barley showing the direction her gaze was looking off to.

“I still haven’t forgiven you for what you did yesterday. This is all your fault Mizti’s like this, why did you even come back to get us? Why didn’t you just run?”

“Because, she killed two of my friends if you hadn’t remembered.” Enterprises body seemed to tense up dramatically, his upper area seemed to expand a little as muscles pulled limbs into a more alert state. His eyes too cut down into a piercing gaze towards the back of the girls head.

Snow remained silent for what seemed like an age.

“She only did it to protect me. Your scouts just appeared right next to me on the radar and before I knew it, I was under attack. I dodged the best I could have, and I was doing not so bad. But then to top it all off, you appeared, so I had no choice but to run, didn’t I? I was just lucky Mizti heard me, and that she was able to avoid you, until you snuck up on her. Monkey.” Snow almost sneered as the last word fell from her lips.

“Don’t blame the missiles, it’s not my fault you both weren’t paying attention to the radar.” Enterprise went on, and his tone of voice seemed to rise. He almost sounded senior.

From shear frustration, Snow threw herself around and drew back a clenched fist. As her eyes closed, she let out a short scream of anger, then let the fist go. The hand travelled up towards Enterprises face, fuelled by the pain, rocketing from the deep settled feeling of guilt that she should have been more observant by looking on the radar. In a way she thought as the internal suggestion flashed through her mind, Mizti being in that state, it’s her fault too. Enterprise was just doing his job, and avenging his friends, but as for her job, she wasn’t doing it right, if she were, then she would have spotted the missiles raining down onto Mizti, but she was too busy rejoicing over their conquest. Suddenly a vision of her mother snapped into her mind. That cool sense of doing things, her mother defiantly wouldn’t have made that mistake. The hand paused only a few inches away from Enterprises face, which hadn’t flinched or made any sign of movement. He was just staring at her, in the same piercing way, and she met it for the first time their gaze met head on.

 Her eyes strained under the pressure, but finally her arm shook, and finally gave way as she withdrew it from the prolonged outburst. Enterprises eyes prised open a little wider as he watched her. But in shame, she simply bowed her head, then turned about on her heels and walked out of the door. Enterprise stood for a moment gazing at the doorway, until he finally looked back up at Mizti and sighed, and he stood there in the same stance, in the same position, hardly moving an inch for hours, until that is, a figure silently crept up on him, and placed themselves against his body. He only realised he wasn’t alone as the something brushed up against his shoulder. He turned slowly, finding nothing there, he looked around him, in all directions, but there was nothing. Confusion drummed against the side of his mind. He had felt something clasp his shoulder, he wasn’t alone, and he knew it.

Then he realised something. Around him somewhere, there was a light buzzing that wasn’t there before. It had leaked in around him somehow without his senses realising till now. Again he looked around, cocking his ears this way and that trying to find the source, but still there was nothing. It seemed that the noise was coming from all around him. It was then that the idea struck him. He looked up, and there above him, there seemed to be suspended in mid air, a haze of blue mist, riding on the currents of air passing into the room from the open doorway. He stood staring, transfixed for minutes, watching as the source of the noise that just seemed to just flow out of the cloud, as every part of it swirled and ebbed up, down, left and right, swirling and diving, only to come back up again to repeat the process.

A small clink form behind him snapped him out of his state, he turned around quickly only to find that Winter had re-entered the room with a look of concern deeply etched into her face.

“You haven’t seen those two morons anywhere have you?” She asked as a brow quickly raised.

Enterprise shook his head, then looked up again, he was about to ask the haze was above him, but it had dissipated, and the noise too had long since drained away, as quietly and unnoticed as it appeared. For some odd reason, he couldn’t catch his breathe, or find his voice for that matter.

Finally though, after a long pause from Winter, he found it at last.

“No sorry, I haven’t seen them, but if I do, I’ll tell them that you’re looking for them?”

“No you won’t.” She went on. “I turn my back for just a second and they’re gone. I’ve never seen two more slippery fools in my life…. Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, it’s nothing” Enterprise mumbled off as he looked up at the area of space where the haze once was. “I just thought I saw something.”

“Maybe you’re going insane?” Winter sneered. There followed another pause.

“I think that happened a long time ago…”

Winters eyes perked a little as she looked up at Mizti, then back at the boy.

“How’s she doing? With all the fuss I haven’t really had a chance to catch up on her for the past few hours.”

“She seems like she’s doing better, but I don’t know… Do you know what happened with my Commander and your leader? And the meeting? What was that about?” Enterprises tone turned to that of curiosity rather then confusion.

“Apparently he caused a big fuss throughout the eight, did you know he was the ninth?”

“The Ninth? What’s that?” He sounded confused again.

“You don’t know what the Eight, well, Nine are? I except there’s going to be plenty of celebrating when the rest of Erida finds out…”

“Great but who are they?”

“Well, about twenty five years ago, you see, the whole of Erida was ruled solely by The Empire, you know that much right?”

“Of course…”

Well, it was around then that the rebels broke off, and took an important area over down the South…”

“We heard about that, it was around the time we rebelled too, but we heard that the South rebellion got overpowered straight away, and we were the only faction to survive, and that’s what we’ve known since I think…”

“Really? Well, anyway, the South rebellion didn’t go down, they did survive and they prospered, they flourished, and they went on to build their power up, as little by little they took control of the South. But as they went n, the more they realised they could never defeat The Empire without the right leadership. So a plan was set out to retrieve and revive the nine leaders, which were imprisoned and placed into stasis by the order of the new ruler of The Empire, Yoshimitsu. He was scared that they would over power him and control his armies against him someday. So discretely, the rebels moved their ships and retrieved the nine, except, one of the tanks that was carrying the ninth pod from the Fortress that as holding them was destroyed, so then there were only eight leaders left. Their tanks survived long enough to reach the ship waiting for them. So then everything went as planned, and the Eight were revived, and there was mourning for the ninth that was lost, or at least who we thought was lost, until now. And once more, the nine are together, each commanding their own faction. You have already met one of them, the woman that was talking with your commander last night, which was Tinkerbell, she is the eighth.”

“But, why didn’t they recognise each other when they met face to face?” Enterprise questioned.

“Well, your commander, worked very secretly within his faction the BlackDragons of War before he was placed into stasis, he was more of a myth then a commander. The only people who knew he actually excised were his direct officers. And they never spoke or talked about anything. For a while people thought that the BlackDragaons of War never had a commander, and it was governed by a committee, who had a military power behind them. I should think that it was quite a shock for Tinkerbell to have finally met him, and for the other Leaders too.”

“This is a little overwhelming...”  Enterprise mumbled as he turned back to Mizti, eyeing her with a small look of apprehension. “ Is everyone related here?”

“What? No of course not? What makes you ask that?” Winter asked in a confused tone.

“That girl, the one that hates me…”

“Snow? She doesn’t hate you, she just can’t understand that it was her lack of attention, but what about her?”

“I overheard that the other woman, the quiet one that was by the fire was her mother, and I couldn’t help but notice that Mizti looks like, Tinkerbell was her name? Apart from the ears that is though. Mizti has unique ears.”

“Mizti, Tinkerbells daughter? Lord no. We don’t really know the mother of her, we don’t really know the father either, some guy, tall and dark, he looked like a warrior of sorts, he abandoned her here when she was just a baby. No one saw his face, he just walked up to Tinkerbell, and dropped her into her arms, then walked off just as calmly as he came, I was only young then too, of course, I wanted to look after here, I thought it would have been fun, but the bloody girl never shut up crying, in the end she was placed in the nursery, and I’ve just kept my distance since, but as she grew up a little, she started to follow me, and in the end, I just let her, and I’ve gotten attached to her since, despite how annoying she gets.” A small glimmer seemed to shine in her eyes as she seemed to grow more distant. It only lasted for a short time though, her mind fell back into reality as she heard a voice run through her head like some muffled speaker, trying to convey it’s point. Of course, it was Enterprise still.

 “Sounds horrible, so she was just left like that? With out a word?”

“Pretty much, yeah, I don’t know for sure if that man was her father of not. He did look important though, I remember his clothes impressed me. They weren’t like a body suit, they were thicker and looked heavier, and he had some kind of badges on his chest too. Maybe they were awards, but I don’t know. Maybe he was a mercenary.”

“Or a messenger.” Enterprise laughed to himself. “Maybe she’s the daughter of some aristocrat.”

Winter was again about to answer, but there came from the door behind them quiet noises of hushed voices.

“See! I told you we’d be able to get back in here with no problem!” Came one voice…

“I knew we would, it’s not that hard…” Came a second…

“So how naked is she?” Came a third lower voice…

“Hah, what are you talking about, you shouldn’t be here, you’ll get your ass kicked again won’t you?” The first voice repeated.

Enterprise looked around from the door to Winter, but she’d already sprinted and set herself up besides the door frame, with her back pressed up hard against the wall looking ready to pounce and attack. First through the door came Personmán, then a few seconds later came Imperium, and finally, bringing up the rear was Hobbes. Instantly and before anyone knew what was happening, Winter threw her between them and the door way, their only means of their escape.

“Look what I’ve found!” Roared Winter with a look of complete insane satisfaction.

All three turned around to meet the look, and it pretty much had the same effect on all of them. Each cowered, and backed away towards the tanks at the bottom end of the white room, all muttering words of cursing through chattering teeth.

She moved as fast as lightening, and no one saw her, not even Enterprise as she launched herself from her position against the wall.

Hobbes was the first to go down; he met with a furious right fist to the side of the face. His body seemed to just crumple just from the momentum alone. His body bounced like a rag doll for what seemed like ever, but eventually he finally came to a stop. Then only a second later Personmán landed against him after taking a right kick to the stomach that Imperium cry out with fear. But that cry of course was ended within moments by a small and pitiful yelp, because laying horizontally wedged between his legs, was Winters shin. She’d cocked it back only to send it thundering harshly through the air until it had found it’s mark. Only the sounds of small girlish murmurs were uttering out of Imperiums stunned mouth now while the entire colour in his face seemed to drain away in mere seconds.

Enterprise sucked back sympathetic pain as he turned away, hearing the small thud of Imperium finally giving in to gravity. Witnerheart appeared next to him a few moments after with a look of triumph and smugness on her face, every trace of what had looked like insanity had gone - maybe it was just a thrill for her Enterprise thought.

“They had it coming” Winter laughed as small cries rose into the air from behind them. “What are you still doing here?!” She spun around and snapped them all a look of great annoyance. Instantly they all got up, and ran for the door, all apart that is for Imperium who was just trying to climb to all fours rather then just stand up. In the end, Personmán back tracked, and while still running, he grabbed Imperiums arm, and began to drag him over the floor until he was clear of the doorway on the far side.

Winter turned around again and stared at Mizti, just as Enterprise was still doing, and had been doing for the last good part of the day.

“Tinkerbell knows something about her that we don’t…” She mumbled

“What do you mean?”

“She hasn’t given Mizti a tank yet, there’s a reason, and I don’t know what it is. I’ve seen Mizti in the simulations, she’s ready, and Tink knows that too, but for some reason she just keeps her in her scout.”

“Maybe there’s not enough tanks?”

“No, there’s plenty of tanks, there’s no shortage of them all. Maybe it’s something wrong with Mizti… Or maybe it’s because Tinkerbell just doesn’t want to see her getting hurt. Tinkerbell spent a lot of time with her when Mizti was growing up, I suppose that me and Tink are like, mothers, or sisters to her or something. In fact, we were all she had.” There was a moment of silence. “You know what the last things I said to her since I spoke to her last?”

Enterprise turned his head curiously and shrugged. “No? What?”

“I told her that she was annoying, that she just got in the way all the time and that she’d never amount to anything… Imagine if, if the worst would have happened out there, and, and she wasn’t here anymore. Those would have been the last words I would have ever said to her…”

“Why?” Enterprise inclined his head a little more.

“Because of was jealous…” Winter finally growled.

“Jealous? Jealous of what?”

“Everything” she stammered, “…how close she is with Tink, how well she fights, she’s so much better then I ever was in a Scout, she has Snow who looks up to her, and just before I shouted at her, we were in a fight, with two Empire tanks. Mizti was so swift, I could hardly get a shot in because she was so fast. It just upset me…”

“I think she knows you’re sorry, I saw the look between the two of you last night, just as you left Snow by the fire, and she took her off you, I saw how she looked at you, it doesn’t take an once of smart to understand she looks up to you.”

Witnerheart let out another sigh and looked to the ground. “It’s just lucky you got her out of the Scout in time.”

“I didn’t…” Enterprise concluded a moment later, then looked down at her once more, before looking back up at Mizti.

“She got out herself? Maybe it wasn’t as bad as we thought then, We thought you took out the whole scout in a couple of shots.”

“I did.” Enterprise nodded. “It blew on the second missile, they were only a second apart.”

They paused and looked at each other, then glanced up to Mizti’s body, still floating amidst the tank of the regeneration fluid. She looked so innocent in there, her body just peaceful and at rest, for now at least.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 8: The story so far:

Consciousness guaranteed inane (To come.)