"A Daring Rescue" (PSU) Part 1
The GUARDIANS transport ship screeched through the red morning sky. Its sleek white hull and the multi-colored signal lights that decorated either side of its wings showed a stark contrast to the burning sea below. The Firebreak missions we're still underway and with it, the image that the ship was flying over a malevolent hell.
Damien stood looking out from the window, down into the forests in flames. Slowly he was starting to lose hope, as everyone was for Parum. The Purification was going nowhere as more and more GUARDIANS came home injured, fatigued, and sometimes dead. The number of SEED in Raffon was proving to be too overwhelming for its protectors to handle.
His sight was interrupted when across the sky, a burning ball of red leaving behind a trail of yellow, pierced through the clouds and fell down into the planet.
"Another pod and another GUARDIAN life to be scorched to ashes…" he whispered.
His beast eyes widened and his fists clenched. Damien felt a feeling of betrayal to his fellow GUARDIANS by his absence during these missions; a feeling that was only rivaled by the uneasiness he received upon hearing that this yet to be explained mission was handed down straight from the higher ops of the GUARDIANS Colony.
"You ok Damien?" a female voice grabbed his ear.
Damien looked to his left and saw Nanami sitting next to him.
"You've been acting weird recently. I'm worried…."she said.
Damien looked at her. Nanami's green beast eyes stared at him and were almost pressing for an answer.
"Just mad that everyone's out there risking there lives to stop these damn SEED and we're sitting inside this ship, on our way to divine maiden knows where" he replied.
She lowered her a little as if to submit to the part of her that expected the exact same answer. Her eyes closed as she bit her lip in the same despair as Damien.
Past Nanami's light-skinned face, past the streaming short blond hair, Damien could still see the red from the other windows. He could not see the fires but they knew they were there; still burning and the GUARDIANS fighting with little shards of blue, trying to stop a wave of crimson.
Damien looked at her again and saw a single tear fall down from both eyes. Three days ago, a few of their friends came back from a Firebreak mission injured. One was her husband who received multiple burns all over his body.
Yoshiaki Kawajiri is still inside a medical tank in the GUARDIANS Colony…unconscious for the fourth day.
"Nana…I'm so-" the cockpit door in front of them slid open and the figure of a man emerged.
"GUARDIAN 3001278 Damien and GUARDIAN 3001643 Nanami, it's time for your briefing…" the man said.
The figure stepped out and the two could see a silver-haired Newman in white Classica clothing emerged. He was of average height and more muscled than a regular Newman. His hair was tied in the back and his eyes looked at them with brown stares of intention and experience.
Nanami wiped her tears and looked back with sudden change of face. The Newman looked at both as if to examine each, then walked forward, taking the seat in front facing Damien.
"As you might know, this mission was requested by a high ranking officer from HQ whose identity you will not need to know" he said.
Damien shrugged at the fact. They never need to know, they just run around like their errand boys he thought.
"We will be traveling to a recently discovered RELICS site to locate a missing GUARDIAN" the Newman said.
Damien and Nanami looked at each other then returned their glance to the stranger. The Newman pulled out three vision discs from his pocket and handed one to both GUARDIANS. He made a gesture with the disc instructing them to activate the objects.
"We do not know the amount of danger we might face in this mission. All available GUARDIANS were requested for this mission. Unfortunately because of the recent SEED infestation in the Gurhal system, only the two of you have been assigned. I am Oddo your fortetecher and commanding officer. Now please open the discs."
Damien looked at the disc and was reluctant to open it. Something in his mind did not add up and was readying an arsenal of questions for Oddo. Damien noticed the extreme lack of detail given to them in accordance to this mission. He was about to open his mouth when Nanami released a sudden gasp. She held the activated disc in her hand stared at the photon screen displaying the information of the missing GUARDIAN.
Damien quickly opened his and saw a familiar face.
MISSION TARGET: LOCATE MISSING GUARDIAN
GUARDIAN 3008923: CHASE
-end chapter-