CELESTIAL DRAGON

by _Laguna

Prologue

Layoka City, Neron Continent
The city of Lakoya was a city with towering skyscrapers, apartment buildings, offices, everything a modern metropole should have. The city stood amidst the green vegetation, reflecting the light in every direction. But this city wasn't like any other. This one had defenses in the form of cannons. Lakoya City was bordered by a high wall with thick metal doors at regular intervals, all in the same shining metal alloy.
In the city's command center, the commander turned away from the main screen. On it, a small army rushed towards them through the grassy fields. Red Alert lights flashed, casting the command center in an eerie red glow.
« God, they're attacking again. »
« Shall I initiate countermeasures ? » one of the sergeants asked.
« Do that. »
The sergeant saluted and headed out of the command center.
Lakoya City had endured a great number of attacks, each warded off successfully. The rebels that were attacking were members of the Dyenso Resistance Faction. The city's residents were often forced to take shelter in the bunkers underneath the city.
The rebels didn't want to give up their homes for a more comfortable life in the city. They said that this was the land of the Celestial Dragon and that this creature would destroy all who would destroy its land.
Everyone had dismissed this tale as gibberish, nonsense. The villagers didn't like this and started a resistance faction.
He turned back to the screen. On it, the rebels were driven back by the city's militia.
Another attack ground to dust he said to himself.
« Power up the Ki Ray. »
All the center's personnel stared at him.
« Sir, are you certain you want to use that weapon ? » someone asked.
The commander turned away from the main screen and gave him a hard look.
« I gave an order and I don't want to be disobeyed, do you hear me !? Or I'll have you all court-martialed ! »
The personnel turned back to their stations and brought the Ki Ray on-line.

Outside, the barrel of a big cannon placed on the city's highest tower turned and aligned itself with the battling figures below in the fields. Lights pulsated, energy levels rose while the city's light advertising boards, window lights, public transportation systems powered down and the resulting power was redirected to the Ki Ray. The cannon powered itself up for the final blow that would end this fight.
A command was given and the city's militia rushed back inside while end of the barrel of the cannon began to pulsate. Then, when it had accumulated enough energy, the cannon fired its single shot. A pulse of white-hot blue energy shot down and let the ground explode in a fiery storm of sharp rock splinters. Rocks flew everywhere as the rebels dragged their wounded comrades to safety in the forest.

Inside, the commander grinned as the screen cleared from the blast the Ki Ray had produced. On the screen he could see a smoking crater and the rebels dragging their comrades to safety.
« That'll teach em. » he murmured.
The command center's personnel applauded for another job well-done. The commander acknowledged it with a nod.
« Stand down Red Alert. » he ordered.
The red flashing lights went out and the normal lights brightened.
He pressed a button. « Attention, the attack has been warded off. It's safe to come out. I repeat : the attack has been warded off. »
He released the button and went out to get some rest while the residents came out of the shelters.

Dyenso Village, Neron Continent
Talinn, the daughter of the Village Chief paced the rebel camp impatiently.
She wore black pants with a red t-shirt and a crossbow on her back. She was an attractive woman and most of the rebel camp's men had an eye for her. But she had only an eye for Ringo, the village's best warrior. They were lovers and soon, they would marry.
She looked up as the rebels who had gone out to fight, returned.
« God, what happened ? » she asked as she saw the wounded.
« They used that ray cannon again. » the Village Chief, Boras said. Everyone called him Chief'. And that suited him just fine.
She searched desperately for her lover among the wounded but, to her relief, he wasn't one of them.
He came last. Talinn ran to him and embraced the one she loved.
« I was so worried. »
« You had every right to be worried. » Ringo replied. « If I would've been among the wounded ... »
« Then I would've taken care of you. » she finished for him.
He gave her a comforting smile and went to the Chief.
« So what do we do now ? »
« We blow the reactor that's near the city's perimeter. »
« What ? » both Talinn and Ringo asked.
« This has been going on for too long. That city has to go. We're gonna see to it, » the Chief's face sombered as he finished what he was saying. « or die trying. »
« That's crazy. » Talinn retorted. « We'll lose more able fighters. »
« Not if we're careful and plan our every move. »
« Foolishness. » Ringo said. « We'll all be blown to pieces by that ray. »
Meanwhile, the village women had begun to tend to the wounded. Most of them were severely injured by the Ki Ray blast.
« If we can disable the reactor closest to the perimeter we won't have to worry about that cannon anymore. » the Chief replied.
« How come ? » Talinn asked.
« Before I joined the resistance, I used to work there. The reactor provides the cannon at the top of the city its power. If we disable the reactor, the cannon will be as good as useless. For all I care, they could use it to swat flies. » the Chief laughed.
Talinn changed the subject. « By the way, how many casualties are there today ? »
The Chief seemed reluctant to share the information. « That's not important. »
« How many ? » she pressed.
« Look, I don't see what ... »
« HOW MANY ? »
« Twenty four. We lost twenty four warriors. »
Talinn sunk to her knees. « God, twenty four able-bodied warriors gone. »
Ringo kneeled beside her and held her close.
« Chief, » Ringo said. « this is madness. Why don't we try to settle this peacefully ? With negotiations ? »
« NO ! » he cried. « We've come too far. This'll only end in battle. There's no other way. »
« Then we'll be wiped out. » Talinn muttered.
The Chief went back to the wounded to check who still could put up a fight. Ringo took Talinn to her cabin.
« Raoul, you feeling all right ? »
« Pretty shaken, but I'll manage. » Raoul replied while shaking his head. He had a few scratches and some bruises.
« Good, get ready for another mission soon. »
« Will do, Chief. »
He moved to the next. « Wilfred ? »
« No can do, Chief. I got a broken leg. »
« Okay, you take it easy for a while. Jeb ? »
Jeb only had minor injuries. « Chief ? »
« You ready for another one ? »
« Sure Chief. Whatever you say. »
« Good lad. Stay alert. »
By the end of the day, the Chief had rounded up some eleven men. All were present in the Chief's war room.
« What's the plan Chief ? » Jeb asked.
« All right everyone, listen up. Our target is the city reactor close to the perimeter. There's a back door inside. The guards switch every two hours so we'll have to be fast. We, the guardians of the Celestial Dragon, will get rid of this city. Even if it involves dying for this cause. Long live the Celestial Dragon ! »
« Long live the Celestial Dragon ! » echoed through the room as the men repeated the Chief's last line.

Lakoya City, Neron Continent
In the middle of the night, twelve silhouettes, including the Chief, crawled to the back door leading to the reactor. The lead figure held up his hand and the rebels stopped. He pointed forward to two figures near a partially opened metal door. The guards diappeared through another door. The Chief motioned for his companions to follow him and ran into the corridor beyond the half-opened door.
Once inside, everyone took their weapons.
« All right, keep your eyes open. » the Chief ordered his men. Then, he took the lead.
They proceeded deeper into the city, corridor by corridor. The guards they encountered were harshly dealt with.
After ten minutes, they arrived at the massive reactor. Through the small window, swirling energies were visible.
« Okay guys, keep an eye out. » the Chief ordered. « Jeb, set the charge. »
Jeb walked to the reactor and placed an explosive device against the cool metal that formed the reactor. Then he set the timer.
« How long ? » Jeb asked.
« Ten minutes. » the Chief said without taking his eyes off the corridor he was guarding. The reactor stood in the middle of a web of corridors, all converging on this reactor. On it,a big 5' was painted high above their heads.
Jeb set the timer.
« That's it. Let's roll. »
The rebels ran into the corridor they had taken to get at the reactor. Now they ran in the opposite direction to the back door.
When they arrived there, eight minutes later, Raoul poked his head out the door frame. « No guards. »
« Let's go. » the Chief said and ran into the grassy fields to the safety of the forest.
Two minutes thereafter, the reactor exploded. The city lights, the light advertising boards weakened and the public transportation systems rolled slower due to the excessive amount of power that had suddenly disappeared.

Dyenso Village, Neron Continent
The rebels ran into the village, out of breath.
Talinn came out of her cabin when she heard the thunderous explosion coming from the city.
« How did it go ? » she asked.
« Worked like a charm. » Jeb replied. « Boom ! »
In the distance, even in the night, they could see black smoke rise up. Sirens wailed.
She went back to her cabin.
Madness. It's just plain madness, just like Ringo said. Why don't we try to settle it in a peaceful way ? Isn't there anyone out there who'll help us ?

Lakoya City, Neron Continent
In the command center, all was quiet. Most of the systems were on stand-by while others continued to function, such as the power generation system.
But then a shudder ran through the center as the reactor the rebels had wired, exploded. Red Alert lights flashed as the crew sprang into action.
The commander ran into the center.
« What the hell happened ? »
« Someone blew up the nr 5 reactor. The transport systems are running on half power output. » a technician replied.
He turned to face the main screen.
« Those rebels again. It must be them. There's no other explanation. Won't they ever learn ? »
He turned back to the crew. « What else is there ? »
« The resulting explosion totally destroyed the nr 5 reactor. Wel lost four house blocks and the Ki Ray is off line. »
The commander rammed his fist on the nearest console in frustration.

I

Somewhere in the woods, Neron Continent
Neron Continent was covered with dense foliage, large forests and small villages among them. There were woods as far as the eye could see. Through those woods, trails snaked towards distant destinations, depending on what direction a traveller came from.
One such traveller was Duncan Skywalker. He wore a white t-shirt, a pair of blue jeans with a red belt, black boots and a long black coat. His hair was somewhat unruly which made a few locks fall across his eyes. Not that it bothered him in fact he didn't seem to notice it. A scar travelled from his ear to his jaw on his right cheek.
Around the ring finger of his right hand, he wore a gold ring. And an identical one around his neck, dangling on a piece of string a last memento of his wife, Charlene. She died in a car accident. A drunken driver had hit her from behind, then drove on. Hit-and-run felony. Luckily, he had been around when it happened. He had seen it with his own two eyes. Skywalker had rushed over and taken his beloved wife to hospital. But the had tide turned against him. That day, it was April 1, also known as April Fools Day'. The doctors there thought it was a hoax, that he was trying to fool them.
« This is real. My wife's dying. » he had said. But the docs were too caught up in believing it was a joke so they just sat there and laughed.
Then his wife, whom he had laid down on a bench, called out for him. He let the infidels laugh all they wanted and went to his wife's side.
« It's too late. » she had said in a whipser.
« It's not too late, they may be able to do something if they would stop laughing, that is. » Duncan had replied.
« No, nothing can help now. » she had whispered and gave him her ring. « Take my ring and never forget me. »
Then she spoke her final words. « Together forever. »
« Together forever. » he had echoed. Then, all life left her.
The docs had then decided to come and take a look.
Tormented by his wife's death, Skywalker had lunged out at the nearest physician and hit him square in the face. Then, he gave them both a hard, hate-filled look with only one sentence that went along with it : « You morons just killed my wife. »
Both docs recoiled when they saw the pain and hate in his eyes.
Duncan then had taken his wife's lifeless form in his arms and walked out of the hospital. Every plant and flower he passed let its leaves and flower buds hang in a gesture of mourning and sympathy. That was the moment that his bond' with Mother Nature had increased by a very high degree. It also changed him physically. His once blue eyes which Charlene liked to gaze in so much had transformed from blue into ice cold light blue.
When he had arrived at the tree that stood near their house at the coast cliffs, he gave her the proper burial she deserved.
The physician he had slugged in the jaw was subsequently fired, the other died of a heart attack the next day.
Duncan had actually grinned when he found out about the doctors.
He stopped and took his wife's ring in his hand, remembering her. I wouldn't be here if you were still alive, Charlie. Charlie' was his favourite pet name for her. She always liked it when he used to call her that way.
But hey, those jerks got what they deserved. One more than the other, heheheh.
He let the ring dangle on the piece of string and continued on his journey.
Five minutes later, he found a bird-of-prey, a falcon, lying on the ground. It's wing scarred and bloodied.
« What happened to you ? » he asked while bending down and trying to pick the wounded creature up. « Fighting with the local cat ? »
The bird was a young one, but a feisty one. It kept lunging out for his hands when they came too close for comfort. He decided to try a different approach. Duncan waited till the bird settled down. Then he lunged out with a lightning-swift motion of his arm and caught the bird by the neck just below the head, immobilizing it. He tied the bird's beak together so it couldn't do any more damage. Then, he examined the wounded wing.
« It's not that bad. » he said. Skywalker took his medicine bundle and started to treat the bird's wing.
When he first arrived in the Eastern Regions after long journeys in the West, North and South, the first thing he had learned from the Shaolins was Eastern medicine. They said that Eastern medicine was far better than Western medicine. That, he believed with all his heart, for Western medicine had caused his wife's life to end.
Skywalker finished his treatment, untied the bird's beak and stepped back. The falcon hissed at him, then it turned and after a few failed attempts, it took off. Duncan stared after it. So long, pal. You just got a ticket to a longer life.
Then he resumed his journey.
Thirty minutes later, he heard a cry for help.
Acting on instinct, he placed his hand on the hilt of his long Daïkatana given to him by the Shaolin monks from which he had learned the martial arts of Shaolin and ran through the bushes.
A bit further he saw three men trying to capture a boy. But the kid was giving them a hard time. He kept running around, making it hard for the men to catch him with their net. But then the kid tripped and sprained his ankle.
« Hey ! » he called out. The four combatants stopped in their tracks and looked at him. « Pick on someone of your own size. »
The three men charged towards him, the boy totally forgotten.
Skywalker waited till the right time and punched the middle one in the face, making his head snap back. Then, he concentrated his efforts on the two others. The middle one would be out of commission for a while.
The left one lunged out, Duncan ducked and let the attacking person fly over his back to deliver a teeth-rattling blow to the right one's jaw. The latter literally flew backwards while the boy took in everything with amazement. He had never seen anyone fight like that man in the long coat did. He crawled behind a nearby tree and continued to watch.
The middle one had recovered and came at him. « You'll pay for that. »
« Wanna bet ? » Duncan asked in reply and let his opponent spin around his central axis by delivering a roundhouse kick to the jaw. Instant KO.
The two others executed a combined attack, but he took care of them with the same roundhouse he had used a moment before.
Standing over the three unconscious men, he scanned the surroundings for the boy. He found him, hiding behind a tree.
« You can come out now, they won't bother you anymore. »
The boy crawled out of concealment, but warier as ever. « That was some fight. »
« I know. Those were just leftovers. I've seen worse. »
The boy came closer. Duncan lowered himself on one knee to talk to the boy at eye-level.
« What were you doing out here ? »
« Just having fun, that's all. » the boy replied.
« That ankle looks pretty bad. »
« Yeah, it hurts a lot. »
« Can I take a look at it ? » he asked. The boy took off his shoe. « Good thing you took it off now. If you hadn't, it would've swollen up and it would've hurt a lot more. »
« How come you know so much, mister ? »
« Well, I kept my eyes and ears open. And, by the way, mister is so formal. The name's Duncan Skywalker. »
« Nicky. » the boy replied.
« Well Nicky, we have to get to a village fast. It's going to be dark soon. » he said while looking up towards the darkening sky.
« Dyenso Village is nearby. That's where I live. »
« Okay then, let's go. » Skaywalker replied, placed the boy on his shoulder and diverted his journey to Dyenso Village.

Dyenso Village, Neron Continent
The village had a fence made of long and thick wooden poles. On each side of the main gate stood a watchtower, overviewing the road that led to the village.
Things were quiet. The guards in the tower were casually keeping an eye out. In the distance, Lakoya City was keeping a low profile.
Except for a woman who kept running around the village asking : « Has anyone seen Nicky ? He should've been back by now. » She was worried sick.
One of the guards scanned the road and saw a figure heading towards them. He elbowed his colleague and pointed towards the lone figure in the distance.
« Who's that ? » the first asked.
« How should I know ? I bet he's a Lakoyan. » the second said.
« A Lakoyan ? Nonsense, Lakoyans wear gray uniforms and as far as I can see he ain't wearing a gray uniform. » the first pointed out.
« Yeah, you're right. » the other admitted and squinted through the foliage. « It looks like he's dressed in black. »
« Black ? » the first asked. « Maybe he's a Lakoyan after all. »
« What do you mean ? »
« Remember the rumors about the Lakoyans expanding their militia with new soldiers ? »
« You mean the Jennai Soldiers ? They're just rumors. »
« Maybe. But those guys dress in black and ... hey, it looks like someone's with him. »
« You're right. It looks like little Nicky. »
« Yep, that's Nicky all right. Boy, he's gonna be in a lot of trouble when his mom sees him. »
The other turned and yelled at no one in particular that someone was coming.
« Is it my Nicky ? » the worried woman asked.
« Yep. Nicky too. »
« Nicky too ? » the Chief asked. « Is there someone else ? »
« Yeah. »
« Open the gates. » the Chief ordered. The double gate opened just as Skywalker arrived.
« Is this someone's kid ? » he asked.
The worried woman ran through the crowd that had gathered and took her son in her arms.
« Careful, his ankle's sprained. »
« Young man, you are in a lot of trouble. » she said and went to her cabin.
In the watchtower, the first guard said to the other: « I told you he'd be in a lot of trouble. »
« That you did. » the other replied and continued to watch at what happened below their feet.
« Thanks for saving our little Nicky. » the Chief said. « Where did you find him ? »
« Just down the road. Some guys in gray tried to catch him with a net. But he kept dodging them. »
The Chief and everyone else scowled.
« Something wrong ? » Duncan asked.
« No no, not at all. » the Chief replied and told him to come inside. « So what brings you here ? »
« Just passing through. I've been travelling for a long time now and I was looking for a place to stay for a couple of days. »
« Then you won't have to look any further. You can stay here. » the Chief said.
« Thanks. » he replied and looked around. The villagers were all looking at him, a bit frightened by his icy blue eyes. But he sensed that their fear had a deeper meaning. Something told him that these people had gone through a lot. « Where can I stay ? »
« There's a vacant cabin over there. » the Chief said and pointed to a small cabin next to Talinn's.
« Dinner's tonight around the fire. » the Chief said.
Skywalker nodded, went to the cabin and stepped inside.

II

Lakoya City, Neron Continent
In the meeting room, the command center's personnel gathered around the large table in the middle of the room.
The commander sat at the head of the table. He had arranged this meeting to know the extent of the damage done by the reactor explosion.
« We've lost four house blocks, the public transportation systems are running on 50% power, the Ki Ray is off line and the nr 5 reactor is totally destroyed. » a technician that went by the name of Sarge reported.
« Any suggestions on how we can solve this problem ? » the commander asked.
« We could take some power from the four other reactors and use it to fill up the energy gap the nr 5 reactor explosion has caused. » another techinican, Zugroff, suggested.
« That would still leave the Ki Ray off line. » the commander replied. « However, it seems a good idea to use the tapped-off power from the four other reactors to power the public transport systems and the rest of the city. Do it. »
Zugroff nodded and left to do his task.
« That leaves us the matter of how to get the Ki Ray back on line. Suggestions anyone ? »
« Maybe if we install a flywheel and ... » another technician said.
« It's too much work and it'll rob us of valuable time. » the commander simply said. « I want to crush these rebels as soon as possible. »
« What if we alter the reactor containment fields ? » someone suggested.
« What ? That'll destroy the entire city. » someone else retorted.
The commander cut him off by a wave of his hand. « What are you getting at ? »
« It's really risky, sir. But what if we vary the strength of the containment fields to increase the magnitude of the delta waves ? »
« What do you think ? » the commander asked the rest of the personnel.
« It's possible. » someone said. « But then we'd have to keep a constant eye on the reactors to prevent them from exploding. »
« Suppose it works, what effect will these containment field modifications have ? »
« An increase in power output. »
« Splendid, splendid. » the commander said and rubbed his hands. « Can you give me a percentage ? »
« I'd estimate an increase in power output of at least 40%. »
« 40% ? Good, good. Begin the experiments. » he ordered and ended the meeting.

Reactor 2, Lakoya City, Neron Continent
A team of six technicians were working on the reactor's containment field.
« Containment field systems are on line. » echoed the computer's voice through the room. The control panels lit up, ready for new parameters.
« Begin containment field modifications. » Sarge ordered. The crew began to work.
Varying the strength of the containment field was a tricky business. They had to keep an eye on the power level to prevent the reactor from rupturing.
First, they lowered power production. Then, they varied the strength of the containment field to see which modification was the most suitable.
After two hours, everything was ready for the first try.
Sarge pressed a comm switch. « Command, this is Tech Crew Four at Reactor Two. Ready for experiment. »
« Acknowledged. Stand-by. » the commander replied.
« Ready when you are, sir. »
« All right, we're all set here. Power up the reactor. »
« Aye sir. » he replied and ended communications. « Bring the reactor to full power. »
The crew brought the reactor to full power.
« Initiate containment field modifications. »
The containment field confining the deta waves sizzled a bit as it altered its force.
An alarm sounded.
« There's a micro fracture in the core. » a technician said.
« Compensating. » another replied and five minutes thereafter : « Micro fracture closed. »
Sarge wiped the sweat off his forehead. For a moment, he thought they would be blown to bits.
But then, another alarm wailed.
« We're losing delta wave containment ! » a technician yelled.
« Compensate. » Sarge snapped back.
« I can't. It's building. »
« Command, Tech Crew Four here. We have a situation here. The reactor is about to blow. Containment field modifications have failed. » he said after punching the comm button.
« Can you stop it ? » the commander asked.
Sarge looked at his crew who shook their heads.
« Negative. »
« Get out of there. We'll set up force fields to contain the blast. »
« Acknowledged Command. Tech Crew Four out. »
He released the button and turned to his men. « Everybody out ! It's gonna blow. Command will set up force fields once we're out. So move it, people. »
The crew ran out of the reactor complex. When they cleared the building of the nr 2 reactor, force fields leapt in place behind them. Then, the reactor tore itself apart.

Command center, Lakoya City, Neron Continent
When Tech Crew Four returned, they found out that the commander had assembled another meeting. They quickly took their seats and the meeting began.
« Okay, so varying the strength of the containment fields isn't an option anymore. » the commander said.
« The question then is : what options do we have left ? » Sarge asked.
« My point exactly. » the commander replied. « We've lost two reactors now. We have to find an alternate energy source or we'll get complaints from the city population. »
« The public transport systems are down due to the energy surge the nr 2 reactor explosion has caused. But the nr 2 reactor can be repaired. The damage is largely superficial. They were well-built. » another technician said.
« Take the power from the advertising boards to power the transport systems. We have to keep that system on line at all cost. But there's still the matter of the Ki Ray. » the commander said.
« There may be another energy source, sir. » an attending scientist suggested.
« Really ? What source ? » the commander asked.
« Have you ever heard of the energy stream that brings life to the planet ? »
« No, I haven't. » he replied and scanned the assembled personnel. They too had no clue to what their colleague the scientist was getting at. « Well, you have our undivided attention. »
« This energy stream is called the Lifestream. If we can alter the reactors to absorb and process this energy, we can raise the energy output by a factor of two. Twice as much when all our reactors were producing at top performance. »
The commander whistled in amazement. « Get your people on it. »

Dyenso Village, Neron Continent
Later that evening, Duncan stepped out of his cabin and sniffed the evening air. He looked around overlooking the dimly lit village. The center of the village was being illuminated by a big fire. The village population sat around it.
The Chief motioned for him to join them. He walked over and sat down between Talinn and the Chief.
« You didn't have to bring any weapons. » the Chief said while pointing to his Daïkatana.
« That sword goes where I go. » Skywalker replied flatly.
« Okay okay. Don't get all tensed up. Just pointing something out. »
Skywalker took a slice of fruit from a nearby bowl.
« So what brings you here to Neron continent ? » Talinn asked.
« Just passing through as I told you before. I've travelled all over the world, seen many wonders of Mother Nature, learned a lot. And now I was looking for a place to stay for a couple of days. »
« But there must be something else. Something with a deeper meaning. » she prodded.
« Who were those guys in the gray uniforms ? » he asked, changing the subject. Talinn wasn't happy about that.
« Those were Lakoyans. You said you found three of them when they tried to capture Nicky, right ? » the Chief pointed out.
« I did. »
« They probably wanted to use him as a hostage and demand that we surrender, no doubt. »
« What's this all about ? »
« This doens't concern you. It's a fight we have to fight for ourselves. »
« Tell me anyway. »
« Those Lakoyans have taken in the habitat of the Celestial Dragon. Their city stands directly on top of the place. Already all life is decaying in the area. »
When he heard about the decay, he looked up.
« Is something wrong ? »
« This decay ... is everything dying there ? The trees, grass, flowers, ... everything ? »
« Unfortunately yes. » Talinn cut in.
« Then it is my concern. »
« How come ? » Nicky asked curiously.
« I ... it's hard for me to explain, but have you people ever heard of the Great Natural Reformation ? »
« I have. » Talinn said. « The natural resources and plant life was suddenly returned to a dead patch of land of some 500 acres. »
« I took part in it. »
« WHAAT ? » everyone present gaped at him.
« I care for Mother Nature. So if there're trees and grassy fields dying out there it's my job to restore it. »
« Fascinating. » the Chief said.
Talinn sat next to Duncan, daydreaming. The Chief saw the ring on Skywalker's right hand and leaned back. Talinn saw what he was doing an did the same. The Chief mouthed only three words : he is married.
Oh rats Talinn thought and the daydream was shattered.
« How's the wife doing ? » the Chief asked.
Skywalker looked at the Chief with his ice cold blue eyes. « How do you know I'm maried ? »
The Chief said nothing he just pointed to his ring.
Duncan lowered his head and closed his eyes. His demeanor changed totally.
Did I say something ? the chief wondered.
« I ... it's ... too personal. » he said while squeezing his hands into fists. « Maybe I'll tell you when the time's right. »
« Of course you will. » Talinn said and laid her head on his shoulder. Duncan had to exercise total restraint not to put an arm around her. From the corner of his eye, he could see that Ringo wasn't very pleased with what Talinn was doing.
« If you'll excuse me. I'm going to bed. » he said, got up and went to his cabin.
Later that evening, Talinn went for a stroll through the village. Most of the villagers had gone back to their cabins to rest on their porches. They greeted her as she passed their spot she did the same, sensing there was unity in the village.
Why did he evade my question if there was a deeper meaning to him travelling the world ? And why did he close up when the Chief asked him about his wife ? she wondered while passing the remains of the big fire where they had their meals.
I'm gonna find out she thought and took a detour to Skywalker's cabin.
When she arrived at Duncan's cabin she saw that the door was partially open. Intrigued, she poked her head around the door.
No one inside.
Where the hell did he go ?
The roof groaned. Talinn went back outside, put some distance between herself and the cabin and looked up. On the roof, Duncan sat, gazing up at the stars while playing with the gold ring on the ring finger of his right hand.
Talinn leapt up, grabbed the ledge and hauled herself up on the roof.
« You mind if I join you ? » she asked.
« No. » Duncan replied without taking his eyes off the starry sky.
She sat down beside him, feet dangling over the edge.
« Nice night. » she said, trying to break the ice.
« One of the most beautiful I've ever seen. » he replied, then looked beside him right into Talinn's eyes. Somehow, she saw that there was an unexplainable sense of ... pain and loss in those ice cold eyes of his.
« You wanna talk about it ? »
« About what ? »
« Come on, Duncan, it's obvious. Something is troubling you. It's your wife, is it not ? You left her to go on a journey around the world ? »
He closed his eyes. A single tear ran down and into the scar that ravaged his right cheek. « I didn't leave her. »
« You didn't ? »
« No. »
« What happened ? »
Skywalker decided it was time to open up and tell the tragic tale. « Once, I was the happiest man alive. All the men in my village of birth envied me, because I was married to the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Love at first sight. »
He showed her Charlene's picture he always kept with him.
« She's beautiful. » Talinn observed.
« That she was. Charlene Tremaine. From the moment I saw her, we both knew we'd get married. Six months later, we did. »
Talinn listened with interest. But she didn't see Ringo spying on them from behind a tree.
« But then, after years of bliss, she died in a car accident. A drunken driver had hit her from behind and drove on. I took her to the local hospital telling her that everything would work out. She was still alive at that time. But then... »
« Then what ? » Talinn asked. She noticed that he had squeezed his hands into fists.
« Do you know what day it was back then ? »
« No, I don't. »
« April 1. April fucking Fool's Day. The so-called doctors sat there and laughed, thinking I was trying to set them up. »
« Go on. » she prodded.
He opened his eyes and stared in front of him, reliving everything. « They didn't listen to reason. Charlene called me and I knelt by her side. Then she told me it was too late. Nothing could help anymore. She gave me her ring and spoke her final words : Together forever'. Then, those morons showed up. I hit the nearest clear in the face and gave them the hardest and most hate-filled look I could come up with. The one I had hit in the face was fired, the other died of a heart attack. »
He actually grinned at that, Talinn noticed. Is he some kind of homicidal killer ? « Then what ? »
« I took her to our house near the coast cliffs and buried her under a big oak tree at the top of the cliffs, overviewing the sea. She liked the sea. Then, after 2 weeks I decided to go on a journey around the world. »
« Can I see the ring ? »
He gave her a look that had a what are you, crazy ?'-message in it. But all he saw was curiosity. He took the ring in his hand and untied it from the piece of string and gave it to Talinn who closely inspected it.
It was just a simple gold ring. But on the inside stood only two words : Together Forever.
She gave him the ring back. « I'm so sorry. »
« Don't be. The bastards got what they deserved. »
« Well I'm going to bed. » Talinn said. « G'night. »
« Night. »
She leapt down, leaving Skywalker alone with his thoughts and the stars.


III

Lakoya City, Neron Continent
The next day, the commander pressed the intercom button. « This is Command calling Tech Crew 2. Status ? »
« We're completing the modifications on the nr 2 reactor, sir. » the head technician of TC2, Londo, reported.
« Good. Keep me informed. »
« Will do sir. TC2 out. »
The link was severed. The entire command crew was holding its collective breath. If they lost another reactor it would be catastrophical. Tech Crew 2 was busy modifying the nr 2 reactor after making repairs. The blast that had destroyed the reactor's systems hadn't been that big, but big enough to dislodge most of the reactor support structures so the entire assembly could collapse at any time. TC2 had first supported the reactor assembly and repaired it. Then, they took care of the systems. After that, they modified the entire reactor to absorb and process Lifestream energy.
The intercom beeped. The commander walked over to the panel and pressed the comm button. « Yes ? »
« We've completed the modifications, sir. We're ready to switch on the reactor. »
« Turn it on. » he said and released the button and faced the command center's personnel. « Okay people, keep em crossed. »

Reactor 2, Lakoya City, Neron Continent
Londo turned to his colleagues. « Turn on the reactor and may the gods have mercy on us. »
The technician standing on his left flipped a switch. The reactor hummed and began to sputter. They all backed away Londo had his hand hovering over the control that would erect force fields to protect them.
Then, the reactor room was filled with the whine of power generators working and absorbing energy from the planet. The modifications had worked. Through the window built in the reactor assembly they saw once again bright, swirling energies. Londo carefully upped the power processing of the reactor. And, as if behaving, the reactor began to process more energy.
TC2 cheered as Londo pressed the comm control.

Command center, Lakoya City, Neron Continent
The intercom beeped again. Everyone looked up as the beeping sound echoed through the command center. The commander walked over and pressed the switch. « Yes ? »
« We struck paydirt down here, sir. It's working. » Londo reported.
« Say what ? »
« The modifictions work, sir. The reactor is absorbing energy from the planet. »
« Yessss. Good work. » he released the button and turned to his personnel. « We did it. The nr 2 reactor is back on line and absorbing Lifestream energy. »
The personnel cheered.
« This calls for a celebration. Finally I have the Ki Ray back to full power. »A bottle of wine was uncorked, the cork bounced all over the command center and crashed somewhere against a computer screen while the command center personnel had a little celebration party.
But then, three guards came in.
« Sorry to crash the party, but we have some news. » the middle one said.
« What happened to you three ? » the commander asked, eyeing the battered and bloodied men.
« We were trying to catch a rebel boy so we could use him to get the other rebels to dismantle their band. »
« Good plan. » the commander said approvingly. « But then... ? »
« But then, some guy in a long black coat showed up and kicked our asses real good. I haven't seen anyone fight like he does. And he had this weird look in his eyes... »
« What do you mean ? »
« He had these ... blue eyes... no not blue, ice cold blue. It gave me the shivers. Who knows where he came from. »
« If you run into this stranger again try to capture him. I want to see him with my own eyes. But I want him alive. »
« As you wish, sir. » The three saluted and headed out the door.
The commander permitted himself a small smile. But then, it faded as someone yelled : « Commander ! The fields ! »
He ran to the man's side and looked outside at the fields. Around the city, the grassy fields were shriveling and dying, placing the city in the middle of a patch of dead land.

Dyenso Village, Neron Continent
Skywalker woke up and yawned. He sat up and scratched his head. Then he got up and splashed some ice cold water on his face. That feels great. Sure makes someone wake up. He took his Daïkatana and put it in the sheath on his belt. After that was done, he went out.
As he came out, he went for a stroll, seeing the village at daylight. He arrived at a high tree. Duncan stopped and looked up. Hmmm. Probably some 100, maybe 150 years old given its height. This tree was the highest within the village boundaries. Why can't life be as simple as a tree. Simple and straightforward. No. Instead of simple and straightforward, it has to be complex and world-shattering.
Talinn stopped beside him. « Hi there. »
« Hi. » he replied, still looking up.
« That's the Tree'. » she said, also looking up.
« The Tree' ? »
« Uh-huh. No one has ever been able to climb it. Except Ringo, he made it half-way. He was totally exhausted when he came back down. Even from half-way, you have a splendid view of the surrounding area. »
« Half-way you say ? » he asked with a smirk.
« Yeah. Can you do better ? »
« Better ? Hah, watch me. »
Talinn saw Duncan leap up and climb the tree with the agility of a monkey and disappear in the dense foliage.
I hope he knows what he's doing she thought as she heard the ristling of leaves while Skywalker climbed the tree. After two minutes, he poked his head out of the foliage near the top.
« I don't believe it. He made it. » she said to herself. Then she yelled at no one in particular : « Hey everyone, Duncan climbed the Tree' ! All the way to the top ! »
The villagers gathered while Duncan surveyed the coutryside.
From his spot near the top of the tree, he looked around. His eyes came to rest on a shining city in the distance. That must be Lakoya City. Looks like the Chief wasn't lying about the decay.
But then he felt something deep inside. Something that meant trouble. He looked again at the city's boundaries where an expanding circle of death and decay began to spread out.
They... they're tapping into the Lifestream. The idiots ! They have no idea what they're getting themselves into.
He muttered « Shit shit shit. » while sliding back down.

The villagers that had gathered applauded as he climbed out of the tree. Some of them congratulated him.
Instead, he turned to Talinn. « This is bad. Real bad. »
« What is ? » she asked.
« The Lakoyans are tapping into the Lifestream. »
« What's that ? »
« The Lifestream is a stream of energy that brings life to the planet. The Lakoyans are using it to power their city. If they continue to suck up more energy this entire forest will be gone. »
« What ? Then we have to stop them. »
« Yes, I agree. But how ? »
From behind a tree, Ringo still kept an eye on them.
« We could execute an all-out assault on the city » Talinn suggested.
« No, that would result in the loss of innocent life. We have to do this with as little casualties as possible. » Duncan replied.
The Chief came to stand beside Talinn. « What's going on ? »
Talinn informed him. « Duncan has climbed all the way to the top of the tree. There he saw that the Lakoyans are tapping into something called the Lifestream', some kind of energy flow that brings life to the planet. Now, we're trying to find out how we're gonna stop them with minimum casualties. »
« What ? I say we whack and whack em good. » the Chief said.
« Then count me out. » Skywalker replied.
« Why ? » the Chief asked.
« Because I don't believe in needless killing. Going for an all-out assault will kill many innocent bystanders. »
« Hmmm. Point well taken. » the Chief said. « How do you suggest we proceed ? »
« Why don't we try to talk to them first. If that doesn't work, we can go for a sabotage attempt. »
Talinn and the Chief exchanged a look that read makes sense to me'.
« All right. Tomorrow, we try to negotiate with them first. »
The Chief and Talinn moved off. Duncan let out a sigh of relief. But then he heard another voice call out : « OUTSIDER ! » It was Ringo.
He turned to face him. « You called ? »
« I'll do more than that. » Ringo said and lunged out with his sword. The blade sliced nothing but air as Duncan sidestepped the blow.
« Ringo, get a grip. What's gotten into you ? »
« You ! I noticed the two of you yesterday on the roof of the cabin, talking like two lovers. And today, under the Tree'. I know you're trying to make a move to seduce her. » Ringo snarled while pointing the blade at Skywalker.
« Bullshit ! » Duncan protested. « I'm not out to seduce her. I know you care for her, so I'm not making any moves whatsoever. »
« Enough of the lies, outsider. Draw your weapon and let's settle this like men. »
Duncan saw in Ringo's eyes that he meant business. He drew his katana, reversed it so it pointed upward along his arm and stepped back.
« I have to warn you, Ringo. This sword is extremely sharp. I don't want to see you get hurt or lose a bodypart. »
Ringo snarled and lunged out once again. Duncan brought his arm parallell with his sword up and deflected the blow.
« Look, Ringo, I'm not after Talinn. » Skywalker said as he warded off another attack.
« Lies. All lies ! » Ringo cried. He attacked again, raising the sword above his head to deliver a two-handed blow.
Skywalker sidestepped once again as the murderous sword blow came down and hit the ground. But Ringo didn't give up. He kept lunging out and Duncan kept evading and defending. Ringo thought he was on a winning roll, but that changed as Duncan's eyes became as hard as stone. He then reversed the katana so he held it in front of him.
Ringo attacked again. He wasn't afraid of a pair of cold eyes. He brought his sword up again to slice his opponent in two.
But then the tide turned. Ringo watched as Duncan charged towards him with the air of a fighter. Ringo decided to do the same. He roared and charged ahead. Both fighters passed each other while the sound of metal hitting metal echoed through the air. Both combatants stopped a bit further from each other, standing motionless for several seconds.
Then, Skywalker turned to face Ringo who slowly turned while staring at his sword. Half of it was gone. Neatly sliced off. He looked around and his amazed eyes came to rest on the upper part of his blade, sticking up in the ground.
« I told you it was sharp. »
Ringo's demeanor changed. « Silence ! I'll be watching your every move outsider. Be sure of that. »
Duncan stared after Ringo as he went to the blacksmith to get a new sword.
When will he ever learn ? Duncan wondered as he went to his cabin where he remained till the evening.