Chapter 1: Fallen Tribute

My name is Nicholas. My old friend Carlos died during a devastating battle of one year ago. He was known as Red-X, and we were the Guardians of Peace. I am now the active leader of the Tyranus Super Cruiser.

"Captain on deck," Marcos, the main leader of the soldiers of the Tyranus, yelled saluting.

"At ease soldiers," I said coming into the bridge. "What do we have for today's runs?"

"We have a few distress calls coming from the Requiem area," Tyler said from his ship, the Archeris. It is now a broken cruiser, but still alive.

"Well, to Requiem it is," I said putting in the coordinates.

"You heard him," Marcos said. "Ready up." The whole ship was getting ready for picking up more people.

"I will be going somewhere different, so start up my pelican," I said and everyone became confused.

"Where are you going?" Marcos asked.

"I have a job I need to do," I said as I picked up my pistol. "It's mine alone. I will be back, and I will meet you guys on Reach."

"Sir. Make sure you come back," Marcos said handing me a rifle. I went to the hanger to get on my way, but I got pulled over by Carla before I entered the hanger.

"Sir," she said making the face she normally does when she's going to ask me something I most likely would say no to. "I want to come with you."

"Ok," I said putting a shock to her face. "Just hurry up."

"I know where you're going," she said. "But he's not there we've already looked."

"I'm going to Reach, where it all begun," I said looking at her. "I bet you're still coming."

"You bet correctly," she said giving me a quick hug. "We better get to the pelican." Carla and I went to the already prepared pelican. We went in and saw Mike piloting the pelican.

"Didn't know you were flying," Carla said confused.

"Who gave you permission to pilot Mike," I said staring at him.

"I just thought you'd need a pilot," he responded knowing what I was going to say next.

"I'm sorry, but this is just me and Carla ok," I said to him. He got up and left without another word. After that, we started it up, set it on auto-pilot, and set down.

"It's a long journey you know that right," Carla said looking at the door.

"Yeah," I said putting my hand on her shoulder. "But I got you around to pass the time."

"Is that the best you can do," she said leaning on my shoulder. "It's nice knowing you still are looking."

"That makes two of us," I said looking out the cockpit window. "Carla we need to pilot the rest of the way ships not wanting to move alone.

"Ok," she said getting up. "To Reach."

"Let's get moving," I said walking to the cockpit getting in the top. "To the ONI base." I punched in the coordinates and we headed toward the dead planet. When it was just a straight shot to Reach I looked down to see Carla a little upset. "You ok Carla?"

"Yeah. Just hard times," she said wiping a tear off her face. Carlos was her brother and losing him was a very hard thing to her. "How far are we from Reach?"

"Twenty minutes," I answered stepping down off my control panel. "Come let's talk while we have the time." I pressed a button on her console and the pelicans' sides widened out creating a living room and dining room.

"Show off," Carla said getting up and headed to sit on the couch. "But you know what to do to get me feeling better."

"Well we knew each other longer than expected," I said taking a seat next to her. "Nothing will get in our way. I am with you through everything."

"Nice to here," she said still looking sad. Twenty minutes passed before we got up and piloted us down to the ONI outpost. Once we landed me and Carla grabbed our rifles and stepped out.

"So this is what remains," I said looking at the glassed buildings and land.

"Hey," she said putting her hand on my shoulder. "We have a job to do."

"Ok," I said getting myself together. "Let's get moving."