I saw them all still staring and I shook my head, Garm for a cadet why was I so damn useless? That question I may be unable to answer. I nod to Winchester who bounds up to be beside me, smiling and staring back at the sky. He announced while looking back at them, "We only have a day to rest, and then we must head on!"
"Cadets, I want you all on aerial patrols by sunset! Three at a time for an hour each!" I said, continuing his thought. "Civilians will stay inside that clearing in the forest, I am now your commanding leader, so you will listen to me."
There was something weirdly exciting about commanding this massive group of dragons, although we had a few civilian and cadet casualties. We all made our way into the forest clearing, and it was perfect to set up a small base camp before having to quickly move. I just prayed that I wasn't making a mistake with this, that hopefully I could escape from this somehow. I caught myself on the selfish thought, but didn't bother with a correction to it, all of us had been so equally terrified though. I shook my head and stayed in the outskirts of the clearing although my mind told me to rest, I was unable to do that, clutching the spear in my hand as I knew I would need to escape.
Their operations had to have ceased by now, and my own city was soon theirs. I hated them for that, I hated my own kind for killing their own, if they were Sla Rotorwings I wouldn't care as badly, they were useless mostly. I try to focus my thoughts on the birds that chirped in a somewhat peaceful land, woodpeckers were nearby too. The wind softly went through the trees, but still it was hard to shake off that feeling of being so scared. My thoughts still raced every once in awhile, reminding me about how terrible of an idea this was. I started to remind myself about how a Rotorwing looked, just to keep my mind off the war going on just miles away.
They were sleek like us, Hivewing looking with stabilizers on their tails as well as nearby their hips rear just like us. No they could never fly as fast as us, it would kill them if they did since their lungs could never handle the pressure of supersonic speed. Rotorwings and Hivewings looked quite alike, just one couldn't be mind-controlled and had a sharp military personality, it was the basic personality of any dragon in our world. Probably due to years and years of war. I stand finally, walking back towards the camp to see it quiet, like as if they were trying to be as stealthy as possible.
That wasn't exactly working. A few had bright white scales, and even some with red and dark navy blue, like me, they were quick, great at aerobatics. I could see that they were siblings, nervous with whatever had been going on around them. I sigh, and walk towards them, watching their faces brighten up at the sight of me.
"You two seem rather nervous," I didn't know what to say so of course I said that.
"I'm sure everyone is, are you one of those Flanker ones?" The smallest dragonet asked.
"Yeah, supermaneuverability, beauty and perfection all in one," I shot them both a grin to which they happily returned.
"What do you think Sonar will do with us?"
So that's the pathetic general's son's name? Sonar? Kinda scary when you think about it.
"If he captures us, likely put all of us sparkly ones in some showcase to show off to the world, even to Pantala. I bet we're flashier than some of their Silkwings." I said, the comment was unnecessary but my brain thought it was so I went with it. "But I can assure you two that it won't happen, not while we are here." I gestured with my wings to the dragonets in uniforms around us, all chatting away about some FTX that I had missed due to being transferred with my parents for a few months over to Sla.
The two nodded.
"What's your name?" The youngest asked.
"Sukhoi," I said.
"Bird," The youngest said. "My brother is Thunder."
I nodded, "Nice names, kiddos." I take a glance at the sky as I see a patrol of dragons in black armour fly over at lightning fast speed. "GET DOWN!" I roared, watching one look down, stopping to dive for us.
Winchester was up there, quickly and I followed, taking him down as I spot others bolt from the forest, leaping up with their massive rifles in hand. Bullets came out faster than we flew, killing the dragons right there. I watch them look around at us. Then at me.
"Refugees?" The commanding officer asked, slinging the massive rifle over his shoulder, looking at me with a rather fearless gaze. Who was I kidding? This guy was a Ranger! A lot of them were fearless for having to be trained to walk on their hind legs and go out into combat like that, seeing death from far away with sharp little projectiles.
"Yes sir," I nodded.
"Good, come with us," He beckoned with his talons, pure black as the rest of his body was storm-cloud grey, tinted with a little blue.
"Alright, get up," I called to the rest of them.
Immediately they all sprung up, following me through the forest, all of us were running. When we spread our wings I could see the Vindstormur Astroelevator ALPHA among the green hills, large wires anchored it to the ground and it was massive, two hundred thousand feet in the air, so advanced it brought us space travel and orbital defence. The massive grey and black SAMs along with railguns seemed untouched, but I knew why he wanted us to get there first. It was before those other dragons could capture it and us it for orbital and aerial warfare. It was never meant to be used for that, it was just a strategic railgun and space travel system, nothing more(well not exactly strategic but as strategic as it could get).
I wanted to fly over to it, although the distance didn't look too bad it was, it would take us a days flight to get there. A part of me wanted to round up the four to get to the elevator quicker, but I knew it was probably best we stayed here first and left in the middle of the night. I saw Strike and Razor staring at it too, Winchester seemed too occupied with flying fast, trying to get to the massive air station that I could see. It was pretty big, the airstrip had turned up concrete from the constant scrape of metal armoured talons taking off. We all landed on it, and I turned back to face the sky, wanting to return home but I knew it was no point. If the recollections of warfare tactics on Eldur-stormur were correct, they stole everything that someone owned after taking over territory.
I scowled at the burning city, wanting to bring hell to their world. My talons want to leave this warm, dark grey, hard ground behind. My wings want to ride along the sharp, cold air currents as I fight along in the skies with my parents. Obviously that was a bad idea, probably the worst knowing me. I hear them talking, announcing the situation that their base was in, total peril. I didn't care, then I looked at the officer right in his eyes.
"I will fight," I tell him, hushing the crowd.
"I will too," I hear Winchester say from behind.
"I agree," Strike and Razor say.
"You are all children!" One of the female Rangers snapped. "I cannot allow that!"
"Did you forget who the officer is?" The superior hissed.
She lowered her head, then stalked away from the group towards the base. I smile, staring up at the officer.
"I will have you four get cleaned up then, you all smell of gunpowder," His snout crinkled a little in irritation.
The four of us followed him into the base. A part of me feels excitement, maybe I'll be with my parents, and I hope I can be stationed with the other three at ALPHA.
The gear is tight over my chest, tan in colour with a military grade silver spear over my back, my shins and arms are armoured in silver. I know, I'm a child, but as a dragon I don't mind, now if I were a scavenger, I'd think differently since post traumatic stress is easier for the younger ones to have in war. I follow them out onto the airfield, wings furled in with an earpiece wedged in my ear, for now I was more of an air based Ranger(kind of like those modern scavenger attack helicopter pilots). Strike is clothed in something much similar, and we all take to the air, flying back towards Vista. We were going home, it would only take a few hours, this may be a botched liberation though.
I was hesitating, and realizing the others I could see that they were the same. A few wings wobbled like they wanted to go home, however the hesitation soon disappeared when a dragoness in black armour soared over us. I took my spear and wheeled around, managing to get her in the chest, dodging her fire that scorched under my wing, making it sting and I winced. This was a bad idea. Strike came around, raking his claws over her back. Hearing her hiss was the most scariest thing, another, was realizing that we were left behind. I ripped out my spear, and watched her pleading eyes.
"Get the other two!" I demanded to Strike. "We're leaving to ALPHA."
He nodded, and I looked at her. "You won't live will you?" Strike had gotten them and was coming around at high speed.
"I should," Her accent is thick. "Take me in, I don't want to fight this useless war anyway."
"We have to land," I tell her, hoping that she can follow me with the blood coming from her talons that gripped over the wound. It soaked her combat vest, and I felt terrible.
She lands first, having to lie down. I know she's in pain but Razor comes quickly to the rescue, I was lucky to have her sneak into one of the small outposts. She returns with bandages in stiching material, damn, we'd have to carry her, I just pray it didn't go through her chest. Razor gives it to me and unbuckles the vest. The dragoness's scales are pure black like Razor's, however they shone more. I see her put her claw over the wound.
"Aye, hey, what about these?" I try asking as she ignores me and when Razor takes her claw away, the wound is fully healed. "Razor?"
"You're funny little Suk," My head was patted.
"Why?" I asked.
"You are Garmr aren't you?" The Eldur-stormur major asks, I can tell by the ranks on her shoulders.
"Reincarnation? Likely, relations? Yes." Razor tells us, her voice is softer than normal. "These are for that idiot." She points to me, gesturing to the stitches and bandages in my claws.
"Hey!" I protest.
A building collapses. "We have to go." The female Aviator says, quickly getting back on her feet and I can see the scar that's now on her chest. So the rumours were true, any animus could heal any deep wounds but it would leave surgical like scars behind. She leaps into the air, and we follow her, she moved quickly between buildings, weaved around dogfights. It was almost hard to keep up with her, but by the time night hit, we were back at the base.
When we find the commanding officer of the base he orders for her arrest, I protest a little but he gives me a glare. They don't trust me, and by that I'm slightly offended, but that should pass by morning. We all walk down the halls towards the barracks. I shove my spear away when we enter, taking off the vest as I sleep for a little while, hoping to find the Eldur-stormur Aviator somewhere. When I awaken it's almost midnight, I walked through the hallways alone. The moon shone through the windows onto my talons, and making my scales shimmer with some of the ashes and left over gunpowder from bombs etched into my scales. I would admit I am slightly traumatized by the events still, and going back hadn't made it much easier on me. It brought back subconscious feelings of fear, helplessness. I stopped my thoughts quickly, ducking my head down as I wandered through the base, keeping my tail off the ground so there was only the soft sounds of my talons hitting the ground. My mind wandered again, knowing that if I wasn't off of this planet, I would never be safe, and the possibility of being captured was much higher.
I sigh, a long dragged out sigh that echoes through the hallways that make this place look desolate, like I was revisiting an old memory-home almost. My wings hurt, my mind is telling me to flee constantly now. I looked back, seeing the sleepy three trying to keep up with me, Razor looked incredibly unsteady. Her eyes were about to close as she walked along beside me, I had to ignore it. The Astroelevator with that other Aviationwing was far more important as of ever right now.