GUARDIAN GARDENING
By LazerTH
- CHAPTER ONE -
Sunlight shone green through the leafy canopy. A squad of Fallen skittered lightly over the rich black soil. Nimble Vandals hugged the ground, all six of their limbs flowing in swift silence. Puny four-limbed Dregs scampered on foot. On point, their big strong Captain scouted with all four of her wary glowing blue eyes.
The squad broke through the tree line into a small clearing blanketed in orange and yellow flowers. Heedless of the alien beauties they trampled, the speedy squad sent sunfire petals flying through the air. At the opposite end of the clearing, a lone figure stood up suddenly, dropping his trowel and unslinging his rifle in one fluid motion.
"YOU ETHER-SUCKERS ARE GOING TO KILL ALL MY LILIES!"
Most Fallen don't understand human language, so they slid into defensive positions and opened fire, crushing even more orange-yellow flowers with their slinking movements. The gardener expressed his displeasure using automatic gunfire. All four Dregs sprayed airy white Ether over the field before they had a chance to throw their grenades. The four Vandals were quicker and climbed trees, shimmying up the trunks like giant spiders. While they disappeared among the blossoming branches to find sniper's nests, their Captain distracted their assailant with bursts of fiery shrapnel.
Green eyes flashing murder, the red-haired human leaped thirty feet into the sky, the blazing sun on his back. At this sight, the Captain's heart quickened. This was no mere human wearing dirty denim overalls and jeans. In a blue puff of Ether, she teleported backward into the forest and emitted a shrill clicking noise. Her Vandals stowed their shock rifles then zoomed after her, leaping among the verdant branches like monkeys.
The gardener landed gently on his knees among his dead flowers. He touched their crushed petals, their sweet fragrance mixing with the bitter stink of Ether. "Twelfth incursion this month. What's so interesting about my garden?"
A small red star-shaped machine drifted over the flowers. Its cyclopean yellow eye twitched back and forth.
"THESE FLOWERS REFLECT THE SUN."
"You're not helpful, Solaire."
"YOU SHOULD BURN THE FALLEN," the little machine said.
"And the entire forest with them? No thanks."
Quick footsteps brought other humans to the clearing: two teenagers holding rifles.
"Master Yi Yi, we heard the alarm!" the girl shouted.
"Filthy Fallen again, Master! Where are the rest?" the boy shouted, gesturing to the four bodies.
The gardener stowed his rifle and stood. "They ran away."
"Fallen don't run away!" the girl snorted, scrunching up her nose. "None of the others did."
"Cullen, why is this a problem?" Yi Yi asked while looking at the bodies left behind.
The boy's mouth dropped open. He blinked a few times and said, "They'll report that this a high-value area. Oh, they'll send skiffs next!"
"And why is that a problem, Cass?" Yi Yi asked, pointing upward.
She held up her hand. "Airdrops will draw the Cabal's attention… ugh, the farms are nearby! We must protect the food supply!"
Yi Yi nodded. "Let's gather my fireteam."